Russia’s state penitentiary regulator withdraws proposed advance notice requirement for public monitoring commissions
Source: Meduza
Russia’s penal system regulator (“FSIN”) has withdrawn the proposal to require public monitoring commissions to provide 48-hour notice before visiting a detention center.
The proposed measure had been widely criticized by human rights activists, who believe that 48-hour notice would make it impossible to respond promptly to alerts about possible violations in the jails. Some community monitors had promised to resign rather than “imitate” their monitoring activity under the compromising new regulation.
Community prison monitors will still have to notify the facilities before they visit. In current practice, this is done right before the commission arrives to conduct an inspection.
