Document - Russian Federation: Amnesty International calls for Mikhail Trepashkin to be released pending a full review of his case

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Public Statement

AI Index: EUR 46/013/2006 (Public)
News Service No: 076
24 March 2006

Russian Federation: Amnesty International calls for Mikhail Trepashkin to be released pending a full review of his case

Amnesty International is concerned that there are serious grounds to believe that Mikhail Trepashkin was arrested and convicted under falsified criminal charges which may be politically-motivated, in order to prevent him continuing his investigative and legal work related to the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow and other cities. Mikhail Trepashkin, a lawyer and former KGB and FSB (Federal Security Services) officer, was convicted of “divulging state secrets” and “illegal possession of ammunition” by a Russian military court in May 2005 and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. It appears that he was treated in a discriminatory fashion when he was rearrested following release on parole in September 2005, apparently in violation of Russian procedure.

Moreover, Amnesty International is gravely concerned that Mikhail Trepashkin is being denied adequate medical treatment in the prison colony in which he is being held, and that he is being subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by the prison administration as part of a wider effort to intimidate him into withdrawing his complaints against the Russian authorities relating to his criminal conviction and his treatment while a prisoner. Amnesty International is also concerned that Mikhail Trepashkin was subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in pre-trial detention, and was subjected to intimidation in an attempt to persuade him to withdraw his complaints about the conditions of detention.

Given the serious grounds to believe there has been an injustice in Mikhail Trepashkin’s case, due to interference by the executive in the criminal justice system, Amnesty International is calling for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into such allegations and a full review of this case, to be conducted in accordance with international standards for fair trial. Amnesty International urges the Russian authorities to release Mikhail Trepashkin pending the re-examination of his case. Amnesty International also urges the Russian authorities to provide Mikhail Trepashkin with access to full and appropriate medical care immediately, and urges the Russian authorities to ensure that conditions of detention for all prisoners held in prison colony IK-13, including in the punishment cells, meet international standards, such as the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. The Russian authorities should also ensure that prison authorities do not attempt to intimidate any prisoner into withdrawing complaints against the Russian authorities relating to their criminal conviction or their treatment while a prisoner. Any allegations of intimidation should be promptly, impartially and thoroughly investigated.

For further information on Amnesty International’s concerns relating to Mikhail Trepashkin see Amnesty International’s concerns and recommendations in the case of Mikhail Trepashkin (AI Index: EUR 46/012/2006), available at www.amnesty.org

Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom