RUSSIAN FEDERATION | High Commissioner for Human Rights publishes special reports

The High Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation has published two new special reports concerning the “Observance and Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Russian Federation” and “Human Rights Protection during the Spread of Covid-19”.

According to official statistics, there are more than 11.8 million disabled persons in Russia. Among them, more than 680,000 disabled persons are children. In the work of the Ombudsman, the rights and legitimate interests of persons with special needs are paramount. In the past three years alone, The High Commissioner for Human Rights received some 3,000 complaints by persons with disabilities. The severity of the problems faced by persons with disabilities has increased dramatically with the surge of new coronavirus infections.

The special report on “Observance and Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Russian Federation” finds that an important instrument for improving the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is the development of cooperation among ombudsmen institutions, the authorities, and civil society institutions. Additionally, it is important to draw attention of the public and the competent authorities to the problems of persons with disabilities. The treatment of persons with disabilities demonstrates the development of the cultural values of civil society, such as tolerance, respect for human dignity, humanism, and justice.

This special report examines, among others, special challenges faced by disabled persons in the Russian Federation concerning work and employment, accessible environments, health care, education, and problems arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second special report focuses on the general human rights situation during the spread of the coronavirus infection in Russia. It was prepared based on the analysis of practices of the Federal and regional Commissioners for Human Rights from February to October 2020. Its contents and structure are attributable to the nature and subjects of communications submitted to the ombudspersons in that period, and thus reflect the most pressing issues.

The main aim of the report is to inform the federal and regional public authorities about the problems of human rights protection while implementing restrictive measures, and to make proposals by analyzing the current legislation and enforcement practices in order to improve the regulation of relevant legal relations and administrative procedures. The accumulated human rights protection experience could be of use due to the resurgence of the spread of the coronavirus infection in the fall of 2020.

Summaries of the two special reports are available for download below.

Source: High Commissioner for Human Rights, Russian Federation