Systemic measures are needed to combat the violation of prisoners’ rights. This was announced on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC), answering a question from HRC member Eva Merkacheva about torture in colonies.

“The question is certainly very important and, of course, I saw what was happening, [followed] this information. And you need to carefully deal with this. are known and are now being considered within the framework of the initiated criminal cases. But here, of course, I agree with you, we need systemic measures that would change the situation, “Putin said.

The head of state noted that the Federation Council has already begun work on amendments to the legislation that enshrines the very concept of the crime of “torture”. “Such work is underway, in any case it has been raised in the Federation Council and is working on it,” Putin added.

At the meeting, Merkacheva asked the president to support the proposal to introduce a separate article on “torture” in the RF Criminal Code. “I ask you to instruct that all cases of torture be investigated by the central office of the Investigative Committee, <…> I also ask you to strengthen public control and prosecutorial supervision,” Merkacheva said.

Touching upon the situation with torture in colonies, she told three main reasons for torture – with the aim of obtaining a confession from a person involved or testimony against another person, with the aim of extortion and with the aim of breaking, intimidating and punishing complaints. “I ask you to instruct the members of the HRC to check as soon as possible all institutions known as torture centers, to present you with a report and to instruct the FSIN to admit members of the HRC to these institutions,” she added.