This year for the first time activities devoted to the International day in Support of Victims of Torture were conducted not only in Nizhny Novgorod, but also in other Russian regions where there are representations and offices of the Committee against Torture. In Bashkiria, Mariy El and Chechnya there were briefings and press-conferences, in Nizhny Novgorod and Orenburg – pickets. In should be mentioned that everywhere, but for Nizhny Novgorod, city administrations showed understanding in relation to the problem of torture and the desire of human rights defenders to attract public attention to this issue. Nowhere the Committee against Torture staff faced any obstacles, and in Chechnya law enforcement staff was actively involved in the joint press-conference.
The decision of the Nizhny Novgorod administration prohibiting the peaceful picket and actions of the Nizhny Novgorod police who broke up the picket using special police forces cause astonishment, to put it mildly.
Here is a brief report in photos about the activities of the Committee against Torture on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Head of the Committee against Torture representation based on partner NGO “Man and Law” in Mariy El D. Yegoshin collects signatures in favour of the law enforcement reform:
Press-conference in Grozny:
Press-conference in Yoshkar-Ola:
Picketing organized by the Orenburg representation of the Committee against Torture in front of the Prosecutor’s Office entitled “Inaction of the prosecutor’s office causes tortures” with the participation of torture victims:
Collecting signatures under the address to the RF Prosecutor General emphasizing the necessity to investigate the facts of torture (cases of Sergey Litkevich, Yevgeny Svintakov, Ferapontov-Nimatov-Sadovsky) during the picket in Orenburg:
Press-conference in the Bashkirian representation of the Committee against Torture:
Detention of picketers in Nizhny Novgorod:
