Introduction of alterations into the Criminal Code of the RF and of personal responsibility of leaders of law-enforcement authorities for results of investigations of human rights activists’ deaths: such are proposals with which lawyers and human rights activists intend to address to the Russian President. The address project was given publicity at the press-conference at the Independent Press Centre at Prechistenka at which Andrey Stolbunov, leader of IPO  «Spravedlivost» and Oksana Mikhalkina, leader of «Russian Legal Sevice»  took part. Besides, the participants at the vent expressed the opinion that human rights activists should have a special status.
The first to take was Andrey Stolbunov, chairman of IPO  «Spravedlivost». He suggested to stand and take a silence minute in the memory of human rights activists who died from the hands of bandits. The leader of «Spravedlivost» could not help mention the name of Andrey Kulagin, head of the organization’s regional department in Republic of Karelia whose body had been found on July 10 in a mine near Petrozavodsk. Stolbunov thanked mass media representatives for they had not disregarded the fact of the human rights activist’s death.

- Unfortunately, very often wide public response can only make our law-enforcement authorities investigate such cases not on the residual basis. After mass media had written about the death of Andrey Kulagin its investigation was taken under control by the Investigation Board of the Investigation Committee in Republic of Karelia of the Prosecutor’s Board of the RF, the representative of «Spravedlivost» said.
He also told about new details of this case. Only today it became clear that the results of the expertise would be ready by the end of August. The process is delayed because of the corpse’s state which had laid in water for 2 months, but the colleagues of the deceased do not doubt that that was murder. It is confirmed by the fact that in the pockets of Andrey Kulagin there were found stones which were likely to have been placed there no to let the body float to the surface as long as possible. Besides, according to unofficial information, torture traces had been found on Andrey’s body. The lawyer in Petrozavodsk who at that time represented the interests of the family of the deceased  by request of «Spravedlivost» had already got a call with an «advice» not to interfere in this case to avoid troubles.
Andrey Stolbunov expressed bewilderment too regarding anonymous representatives of the Investigation Committee of the Prosecutor’s Board of Karelia spreading information discrediting Kulagn and IPO «Spravedlivost» and try lead common people to the thought that all the blame is to be put commonplace criminal clashes. Following the commentators’ example in the press there appears information about Andrey’s connection to the criminal world and his non-participation in human rights activities упорно.
- Unfortunately, the tragic accident in Karelia is not the only episode in the war of the criminal world against human rights activists, Andrey Stolbunov stated.
During three years of existence of «Spravedlivost» the organization’s activists was not once victims of attacks and threats. Recently Andrey Karasev, lawyer of «Spravedlivost» was attacked в at the entrance of the house where he lived. The other organization’s activist suffered from the brick with the note «With greetings from Andrey Kulagin» thrown into the window. One more Stolbunov’s colleague found at his door a packet with a pig’s head  with a note saying that the next time his head would be there instead.
- Unfortunately, law-enforcement authorities most often do not pay any attention to such «frightening actions», criminal cases are not initiated nor investigated properly, Andrey Stolbunov remarked.
But at the same time criminal cases are initiated against human rights activists, it is one more method of pressure. The leader of «Spravedlivost» recalled about the search which was undertaken unlawfully in the organization’s office this summer.
- In short, for the three years of work we learned in full what risks human rights activities in Russia are concerned with, the leader of the public organization summed up.
Oksana Mikhalkina, representative of «Russian Legal Service» agreed with him. She noticed that now human rights activists and lawyers have no personal safety, that is why they should have much courage, especially when the matter is in the notable cases. According to her, human rights activists are forced to struggle with the legal proceedings system as many judges are afraid to pass “non-guilty” sentences. Mikhalkina supported the idea of human rights activists having a special status and toughening of punishment for unlawful acts aimed against them.

At the end of the press-conference Andrey Stolbunov read out the address to the Russian President under which, as it is supposed, well-known lawyers and human rights activists would sign. The address says about unexampled pressure on human rights activists «from criminal structures and corrupted officials» and inability of law-enforcement authorities to operatively disclose crimes committed against activists of public organizations.

In the opinion of the authors of the address, it is impossible to change the situation, unless alterations were not made in the Civil Code which would toughen punishment for such crimes and national security bear personal responsibility for investigation results.

Writen by Elena Beregovaya