News

Today the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin held a working meeting with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks. They discussed the areas of the Commissioner’s future work in Russia and his subsequent visits.

Namely, the Commissioner was provided with the information on the progress and results of investigating criminal cases over murders of Anna Politkovskaya, Natalia Estemirova and Paul Khlebnikov, as well as cases which the European Court of Human Rights adjudicated. 

Mr Muižnieks noted that in the position of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights he was going to concentrate on the development of close collaboration with relevant bodies of those states the citizens of which were the most frequent applicants for the European Court. He is going to visit North Caucasus of the Russian Federation to monitor the human rights situation there. The Investigative Committee presented information on positive changes in this area achieved despite the objective difficulties. It mentions creation in the North Caucasus under the patronage of the Chairman of the Russia’s Investigative Committee the DNA Studies Center allowing complex molecular examinations in shorter time and building inter-agency working groups consisting of personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Security Service and Investigative Committee.

In addition, the Commissioner was informed on measures taken by the Investigative Committee of Russia to battle with crimes committed by law enforcement officers. Accordingly, the Russian party provided explanations on the work of special investigation divisions of the Investigative Committee set up in federal districts and which investigate criminal cases against special subjects.

In conclusion the parties discussed prospects of the reform underway in the Russian Federation concerning law enforcement bodies and judicial system.

During the meeting Mr Bastrykin stressed the particular importance of contacts with the Council of Europe on human rights matters, noting that the collaboration was built on constructive basis as a mutually beneficial dialogue.