Prosecutor's Office of Volgograd Region finds violations of SIZO inmates' rights

In the Volgograd Region, prosecutor's inspections undertaken at five investigatory isolation facilities and eight premises that function as SIZOs (pre-trial custodies) have revealed numerous violations of the rights of suspects and defendants.

L. I. Sergeeva, Senior Assistant of the Public Prosecutor of the Volgograd Region, has enumerated to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent the main violations of the rights of the detainees.

Firstly, they failed to ensure the right of suspects and defendants for the minimal standard of sanitary room area (4 square meters per person) and individual bed as stipulated by Article 23 of the Federal Law. The reason of the violation is the excess of the limits of accommodation established for custodies in investigatory isolation facilities of the Chief Department of the federal Service for Punishment Enforcement (GUFSIN) for the Volgograd Region in 2006-2007.

Besides, the Prosecutor's Office has revealed other violations of the rights of inmates in the area of their material provisioning. Thus, at SIZO No. 1 the inmates were nourished with food that had expired shelf life.

The Senior Assistant of the Public Prosecutor of the Volgograd Region has paid attention to the growth of the number of detainees who have dangerous diseases. She said that the medical-sanitary servicing of the "special contingent" at some GUFSIN establishments is not properly provided.

"Numerous violations of the rights of suspects and defendants were admitted by administrations of the facilities when solving the problem of material responsibility," Ms Sergeeva said.