Custody conditions in jail of Tuapse UVD, Krasnodar Territory, found inadmissible

Today, the decision of the Pre-Kuban City Court of Krasnodar, stating that the custody conditions at the special detention facility of the Tuapse UVD (Interior Department), has entered its legal force. It was the demand of ecologist Suren Gazaryan, who was detained in February 2011 during a protest action at the so-called "Tkachov's summer cottage", to recognize as illegal the idleness of the Tuapse UVD and unacceptable conditions of detention at the jail.

According to Mr Gazaryan, the area of the cell, where the detainees were later placed, was about two square meters. Windows were covered with metal sheets, while electric illumination was inadequate. Detainees were not allowed to inform their relatives of their whereabouts.

The cell had no conditions for sleep - the width of the bench along the wall was 25 cm, while no beddings were given out. The blank walls of the cell were covered with plaster coated with "coat-like spray". According to custody regulations, all the above facts are direct violations of the law, runs the message of the Fund "Public Verdict", received by the "Caucasian Knot".

On August 29, the Pre-Kuban District Court of Krasnodar satisfied the claim of Suren Gazaryan against the Tuapse UVD and recognized the custody conditions at the jail of the UVD illegitimate.

In July, at the first session of the court on this case, employees of the detention facility and Tuapse UVD denied any violations of detainees' rights to meet their relatives, make a phone call, a walk and access to water. The GUVD (Chief Interior Department) of the Krasnodar Territory and the Tuapse UVD submitted to the court their appeals to the Governor of the Krasnodar Territory and the head of the Tuapse District asking to allocate funds to repair the detention centre, the "Zhivaya Kuban" writes.

According to Ernest Mezak, the lawyer of the Fund "Public Verdict", who represented Gazaryan's interests in the court, now any citizen, who was placed into the Tuapse jail, has the right to demand compensation from the authorities for the intolerable custody conditions. According to Mr Mezak, the enacted court's decision increases the chances for satisfaction of a similar claim lodged by another ecologist - Dmitry Shevchenko; while Gazaryan may now insist on compensation.