Legal Case of the Week: Ildar Dadin

posted 13 Feb 2017, 08:47 by Rights in Russia   [ updated 13 Feb 2017, 08:48 ]
On 10 February 2017 the Constitutional Court ruled Ildar Dadin’s case must be reviewed and the Criminal Code amended. As RFE/RL reports, Ildar Dadin was the first person convicted under 'a controversial new statute authorizing criminal prosecution of Russians who take part in more than one unsanctioned protest in a 180-day period.' Dadin is currently serving a 2.5 year sentence in a prison in Altai region, having been transferred there from a prison in Karelia where he alleged he had been the victim of torture. In its ruling, as RFE?RL reports, the Constitutional Court 'confirmed the government has the right to prosecute people for repeated noncriminal offences', however it also ruled that 'the authorities should base their application of the statue decisions on "the real scale of public danger" and only jail protesters after rallies that were not peaceful.' The Constitutional Court went on to propose that the legislation be amended accordingly.

Amnesty International issued a statement stating that the ruling of the Constitutional Court 'offers a rare glimmer of hope for the right to peaceful assembly' and called for the immediate release of Dadin, whom it has recognized as a prisoner of conscience. The same statement by Amnesty International reiterated that Dadin had been 'detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights.'

Photo; Wikipedia

Sources:
'Russian Constitutional Court Orders Review Of Jailed Activist Dadin's Case,' RFE/RL, 10 February 2017
'Russia: Court offers "chink of light" in case brought by jailed protester Ildar Dadin,' Amnesty International, 10 February 2017
'Ildar Dadin,' Wikipedia
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