Since the end of July 2016, commissioners for human rights in a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation with assistance of local election commissions open hotlines to protect the Russian citizens’ electoral rights. Such hotlines will help to ensure the transparency of election process and to respond efficiently to the violations.

On 28 July, a regular release of the ‘Human Rights’ programme dedicated to the electoral rights was aired on the Public Television of Russia channel (OTR).

On July 26, Commissioner for Human Rights in Tula Region Galina Fomina held the first School of Legal Knowledge open seminar in Kosaya Gora village where Roma reside. The representatives of Tula Region Administration and law enforcement agencies took part in the meeting.

On 25 July, Commissioner for Human Rights in Pskov Region Dmitry Shakhov met with his colleague from Nizhny Novgorod Region Nadezhda Otdelkina and the Chairperson of Nizhny Novgorod Region Election Commission. The participants in the meeting discussed the ways of interaction between the state institution of commissioners for human rights and regional election commissions, as well as the issues of ensuring the additional guarantees of citizens’ rights to participate in elections.

On 25 July, Commissioner for Human Rights in Saratov Region Tatiana Zhurik spoke at the meeting with the social ministries and agencies. In her report, she focused on the social integration of persons released from facilities of the penal system.

Last week, Commissioner for Human Rights in Yaroslavl Region Sergey Baburkin visited Pretrial Detention Centre No. 1 in Yaroslavl Region (hereinafter as SIZO-1) several times. During the last visit on 22 July, Sergey Baburkin made sure that the conditions of detention in SIZO-1 had improved.

The Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare sent a letter to the Governor of Irkutsk Region with a proposal to take drastic measures to improve the mental health services in the region. The materials provided by Commissioner for Human Rights in Irkutsk Region Valeriy Lukin revealed numerous violations of rights of citizens with mental illness.

From 28 June to 18 July, the series of seminar meetings of Commissioner for Human Rights in Nizhny Novgorod Region Nadezhda Otdelkina with her public assistants took place. Interdistrict meetings were held in Nizhny Novgorod, Gorodets, Arzamas, Uren, Sergach, and Arzamassky Municipal District. Tasks and aims of the public assistants, and the methods of cooperation with the human rights protection system of the region were discussed in the meetings.

Commissioner for Human Rights in Primorye Territory Veleriy Rozov helped 219 students of an Ussuriysk institute deprived of accreditation to graduate and receive diplomas.

With assistance of Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Ingushetia Dzhambulat Ozdoev, the property right to a land plot was restored. The prosecutor’s examination initiated by the Commissioner revealed that the plot had been illegally occupied, and the unauthorized construction was demolished.