Human Rights in Russia week-ending 23 April 2021 - with Olga Sadovskaya

Simon and Sergei

This week our guest on the podcast is Olga Sadovskaya from the Nizhny Novgorod-based human rights organisation Committee against Torture. Olga Sadovskaya is the head of the organisation's international protection department. Established in 2000, the Committee against Torture has undergone many changes but continues to be one of the leading human rights organisations in Russia working to prevent torture in police custody.

The questions discussed in the podcast include: latest developments at the Committee against Torture; court cases before the Russian courts and the ECtHR; legislative changes affecting its work; cities where the Committee against Torture operates; Chechnya; risks doing human rights work in Russia; public support; ombudsmen and public oversight commissions; the future of human rights.

The podcast is in Russian. You can also listen to the podcast on Rights in Russia [https://rightsinrussia.org/podcasts/], SoundCloud, Spotify and iTunes. The music, from Stravinsky’s Elegy for Solo Viola, is performed for us by Karolina Herrera.

Sergei Nikitin writes on Facebook: 'Inquisitor 286 is a new computer game from the Committee against Torture, and the number 286 is clearly not random. Everyone knows Article 286 of the Russian Criminal Code does not contain the word torture, and Russia does not adhere to the definition set forth in the UN Convention. It should.

The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment defines torture as any act by which severe pain or suffering is intentionally inflicted on a person when such pain or suffering is inflicted by a public official. We are well aware how the authorities twist and turn and - as a rule - cover up for these very officials. Olga Sadovskaya in our recent conversation reminded Simon Cosgrove and me of the many tragic stories in which the "heroes" - the so-called siloviki - have gone into hiding or disappeared. But it is encouraging to know that organisations like the Committee against Torture and many other Russian human rights defenders are tirelessly fighting torture and ensuring that the villains are brought to justice. And that this is not a game at all.'

Simon Cosgrove adds: If you want to listen to this podcast on the podcasts.com website and it doesn’t seem to play, please download by clicking on the three dots to the right. A summary of some of the week’s events in Russia relevant to human rights can be found on our website here: https//:rightsinrussia.org/week-ending-23-april-2021.