Deputy Justice Minister Alu Alkhanov, a former president of Chechnya, will take over responsibility for overseeing the prison system from his dismissed colleague, Yury Kalinin, Kommersant reported Wednesday.
Kalinin, 63, had overseen the country’s overcrowded prisons for years but was dismissed by the Kremlin on Tuesday. Alkhanov, 57, told Kommersant that he would continue reforms begun by the Justice Ministry after Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in pretrial detention.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.