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Russian Prisoners Complain of Human Rights Violations

A political activist is amongst a group of Russian prisoners complaining to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) about prison transport conditions, the Kommersant news website reported Thursday.

Taisiya Osipova, from the Other Russia opposition movement, told the court that she was crowded with three dozen others in a wagon made to hold no more than 15 people.

Osipova was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2011 for possession of heroin. She claims the police planted the drugs on her during a raid.

Ernest Mezak, from legal assistance charity Public Verdict, told Kommersant that he estimated the court has already received 15 similar complaints.

The Russian Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that all prisoners should be transported in special vehicles with between 0.3 to 0.5 square meters given to each passenger.

In May, Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service said they had repeatedly asked officials to make less arrests in order to ease prison overcrowding, Kommersant reported.

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