Russia's justice system needs desperate reform in order to tackle chronic overcrowding, the country's commissioner for human rights has urged.
Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said that the number of inmates in Moscow's pre-trial detention centers had risen to 47 percent above legal limits as of April 2016.
Moscow authorities would need to build a new, modern pre-trial
detention center to combat the problem, Moskalkova wrote in an article for Russian tabloid Izvestia on Thursday.
Over-zealous judges, along with delays which stopped inmates from quickly meeting with lawyers, were also putting a strain on the system, she said.
"We need to open a new, modern prison and make greater use of electronic queuing systems [in existing prisons]," Moskalkova wrote. "We also need to ensure that people are only deprived of their liberty [before trial] in rare cases."
"Many years of judicial practice have proven that those who do not pose a serious danger to society only need to be placed under parole or house arrest," she said.
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.
