Svetlana Gannushkina intends to leave Presidential Council for Human Rights

On May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin reassigned his advisers, including Mikhail Fedotov, who would continue to lead the Presidential Council for Human Rights. Three of its members, including Svetlana Gannushkina, Chair of the "Civil Assistance" Committee, think about leaving the Council. According to Svetlana Gannushkina, she is not satisfied with the outcome of the Council's meeting held on April 28, 2012, since it failed to give any instructions on Northern Caucasus.

"Dmitry Medvedev (at the time of the recent meeting of the Council under President of Russia on Development of Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights, Dmitry Medvedev still occupied the position of the Russian President, note of the "Caucasian Knot") does not give direct instructions in regard to Northern Caucasus, although there were enough issues on the region," Svetlana Gannushkina told the "Caucasian Knot".

"There are two different legal positions: some members of the Council believe that the organization continues to exist. Others believe that the Council, at least at present, does not exist, since new President Putin did not discuss it. That was the Council under certain President under President Medvedev. I do not consider myself to be the member of the Council anymore. Furthermore, I will not enter the Council under President Putin," emphasized Svetlana Gannushkina in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot".

Meanwhile, Mikhail Fedotov believes that the Presidential Council on Development of Civil Society and Human Rights is likely to continue its work in almost the same composition, and he himself intends to take care of that, the newspaper "Kommersant" reports.

According to Mikhail Fedotov, he is in talks with three members of the Council, who declared their quitting. "I asked them to think over, whether they would remain in the Council or find other ways to work with it," he emphasized.

According to the newspaper, Svetlana Gannushkina and Elena Panfilova, Director of the Russian Branch of the "Transparency International", can stay in the Presidential Council as experts. Political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin also stated that he would not work with Vladimir Putin and said that he was not satisfied with the performance of his work in the Council.

Commenting on the instruction, made by Dmitry Medvedev at the meeting of the Council on Human Rights in the city of Gorki concerning organizing in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Russian Federation "a hot line" for receiving and recording citizens' reports on crimes and violations of law, committed by MIA's staff members, Svetlana Gannushkina pointed out that could help address the problems associated with torture.

To ensure operating of that task, the human rights defender offers to establish special category of people from civil society, who at any time will be able to communicate with persons, who need assistance in human rights protection.

Svetlana Gannushkina has also reminded that the structure of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) had established a specialized division for investigating the crimes, committed by policemen and other law enforcement agents.

However, according to Svetlana Gannushkina, not always the human rights defenders are contacted by persons, not guilty of committing various crimes, there are also persons, who with the help of human rights defenders try to evade responsibility, and they are unlikely to succeed in that.

Oleg Orlov, the leader of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", treats concerns about appeals of criminals, trying to escape punishment, to the human rights defenders, as groundless, and notes that he is not aware of any similar case.

He does not believe in the efficiency of "the hot line". "We need a very serious reform of the entire MIA's activities, including in Northern Caucasus," Oleg Orlov believes.

According to lawyer Evgeny Chernoousov, retired Police Colonel, the activity of the human rights defenders can have real authority in the criminal proceedings against police officers, who committed a crime against a citizen.

In regard to kidnapping of people, occurring in Northern Caucasus, he advises persons, who suspect that "clouds are gathering over him", to contact the human rights defenders in advance.