"I welcome the decision of the Russian Government to request the publication of this report as a sign of openness which I trust will continue in the future," said Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland.

" I am confident that this is the beginning of a new policy of the Russian Federation which will increase the impact of the Committee's work in Russia, to everyone's benefit," added CPT President Lətif Hüseynov.

In a report published today, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) expressed serious concerns about the treatment of persons held by law enforcement agencies in the North Caucasian region of the Russian Federation and the effectiveness of the action taken by the investigative authorities concerning possible ill-treatment.

The CPT makes a series of recommendations aimed at combating torture and other forms of ill-treatment. In particular, it proposes measures to ensure better accountability of law enforcement agencies, reinforce fundamental safeguards against ill-treatment and improve conditions of detention in law enforcement and pre-trial establishments.(more...)

The report and the response are available on the CPT's website.

See also:
- Press release
- Russia and the Council of Europe