Representatives of the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia carried out a site inspection at correctional treatment centres No. 3 (LIU-3) and No. 10 (LIU-10) in Nizhny Novgorod region. The inspection revealed a number of violations of custody conditions in LIU-3.

Media reports on LIU-10 staff and Cheremushky village residents’ protests led to the site inspection.

For reference: because of the upcoming LIU-10 liquidation Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FPS) of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region transferred all the prisoners from the above facility to others, including the LIU-3.

Founded in 1935, LIU-10 is the only city-forming enterprise of Cheremushky village, Varnavinsky district. More than 90 percent residents of the village work at the centre. LIU-10 specialises in the treatment of patients with the most severe forms of tuberculosis.

During the inspection, 78 residents of the village and employees of the centre addressed the Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia with a collective complaint on their rights’ violation. The complainants argued that LIU-10 liquidation would affect badly not only the Cheremushky village residents, but also the population of the whole Varnavinsky district.

Considering FPS facilities' closure as a system-related problem, the Commissioner worked out proposals to reconsider the earlier adopted decision on LIU-10 liquidation and to create post-penitentiary rehabilitation and resocialisation centres for ex-prisoners on the basis of LIU-3 (or LIU-10).