Law, Crime, Corruption - JRL Excerpts 2009-11
:: Medvedev: Russia has three woes — fools, roads and corruption
Medvedev said on Friday that corruption is Russia's third major problem, along with fools and roads ...
[article continues below]
NewsLinks
:: NEWSLINK: Legal System Gets Bad Rap - Moscow Times 4-18-11/JRL 2011-69
:: NEWSLINK: Russian tycoon Khodorkovsky wins detention appeal - Reuters 4-15-11/JRL 2011-68
:: NEWSLINK: Ex-Khodorkovsky court official criticizes judge - AP 4-15-11/JRL 2011-68
:: NEWSLINK: Rights for the Inconvenient Ones Transitions Online 4-15-11/JRL 2011-68
:: NEWSLINK: Ask the Author Live: Julia Ioffe on Corruption in Russia - New Yorker 3-31-11/JRL 2011-60
:: NEWSLINK: One man's cyber-crusade against Russian corruption - New Yorker 4-4-11/JRL 2011-60
:: NEWSLINK: A moral interlude: Russian police suspend corruption - Open Democracy 4-1-11/JRL 2011-60
:: NEWSLINK: Day of Bribery: More Blessed to Receive - dividingmytime.typepad.com 4-1-11/JRL 2011-58
:: NEWSLINK: Parliamentarians ordered to report bribes - Russia Today 3-22-11/JRL 2011-52
:: NEWSLINK: President Medvedev wants harsher punishment for bribes - ITAR-TASS 2-17-11/JRL 2011-30
:: NEWSLINK: Vasileva Bombshell: Big Claims, Little Evidence - Sean’s Russia Blog 2-16-11/JRL 2011-30
:: NEWSLINK: In Need of Judicial Cleansing - Moscow Times 2-7-11/JRL 2011-21
:: NEWSLINK: Medvedev Takes Pass in Davos on Rule of Law - Moscow Times 1-31-11/JRL 2011-18
:: LINK: US Embassy Moscow February 2008 cable on "Russian Prisons" - U.S. Embassy Moscow/Wikileaks - JRL 2010-238
:: NEWSLINK: Minister orders intensified fight against corrupt officials - ITAR-TASS 11-27-10/JRL 2010-220
:: NEWSLINK: Punishing the Patient: Russia’s prisonlike psychiatric hospitals are overdue for reform - Transitions Online 11-1-10/JRL 2010-205
:: NEWSLINK: Major arms suspect flown to US as Russians protest - AP 11-17-10/JRL 2010-215
:: NEWSLINK: Towards the Rehabilitation of Law: interview with Bill Bowring - opendemocracy.net 11-4-10/JRL
:: NEWSLINK: Russia Raid Hits Banker's Offices - WSJ 11-3-10/JRL 2010-206
:: NEWSLINK: In Russia, the price of bribes rise as its corruption rating slides: Russia ranked 154th on the annual Corruption Perceptions Index of 178 countries, sliding down eight spots from last year. A promised 'war on corruption' isn't yielding fruit. - Christian Science Monitor 10-27-10/JRL 2010-202
:: NEWSLINK: Bureaucrats Go to School to Learn Honesty- The Moscow Times/Vedemosti 10-27-10/JRL 2010-202
:: NEWSLINK: Russia most corrupt among global powers, study says; U.S. ranking also worsens - Washington Post 10-26-10/JRL 2010-201
:: NEWSLINK: Russia's opposition rages at corruption but must grapple with forces of apathy - Irish Times
:: NEWSLINK: New Moscow mayor suggests ways of fighting corruption - ITAR-TASS 10-22-10/JRL 2010-199
:: NEWSLINK: Crime and law increasingly entangled in Russia -report - Reuters 8-19-10
A police investigator implicated in the prosecution of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky has been charged with extorting a $3 million bribe ...
:: Hermitage Reports a Third Major Tax Refund Fraud Perpetrated by Moscow Tax Official Exposed by Sergei Magnitsky
Lawyers acting for Hermitage Capital have filed a criminal complaint with the Russian State Investigative Committee showing evidence of $42 million in illegal tax refunds approved by Moscow Tax Office No. 28 ...
:: Electronic Corruption: Corruption Scuppers Another Government Project Aimed at Modernizing Russia
In February of this year, Russia's Audit Chamber said it analyzed how the unified state policy in the sphere of information technology was being implemented ...
:: Persecution beyond the grave
One of the bizarre anomalies of the Russian legal system is the possibility to prosecute, charge and sentence people who are already dead ...
:: Russians 'doubt' reforms will change police for better - poll
Only 28 percent of Russians believe the country's police force will improve following a much-hyped police reform, a survey showed ...
:: Average Bribe Grows to About $10,000 in Russia - Police
The average size of a bribe has risen to 300,000 rubles in Russia, chief of the Interior Ministry's Main Economic Security Department said ...
:: Police Reform (re: Ryzhkov JRL 2011-131)
In the ten years of the Climate of Trust project, a cohort of American police officers had the opportunity to look at the Russian Militsia at the grass roots level in different regions ...
:: Good Deals and Bad Practices
"The sad truth is that, for an upstanding person, the former Soviet Union is a toxic place to do business ..."
:: Police Pay Is Tripled in Anti-Graft Fight
Medvedev signed into law a bill tripling the salaries of police officers ...
:: Gap Between Law And Its Enforcement Narrowing in Russia - President
Medvedev has admitted the presence of a rift between the letter and the sprit of the law ...
:: High court lightens up on extremism cases
Civil liberties groups have heaved a sigh of relief as the High Court has announced more relaxed attitudes towards prosecution for extremism, which critics claim were being used to curb political opposition ...
:: Blogger claims Duma deputies are on the fiddle
A Duma intern turned whistleblower-blogger has revealed expense scams and time-wasting in Russia's legislature ...
:: Russian Illegal Capital Export Over 37bn Dollars In 2010
Illegal export of capital from Russia amounted to 37.6bn dollars in 2010, according to a dossier by Sergey Glazyev ...
:: No law for the poor
For war veterans seeking housing, or residents being forcibly rehoused by powerful developers, or workers fired by large corporations who count on bribing corrupt courts, far too often it is one law for the rich, but no legal protection for the poor ...
:: Russia to create intellectual property service - Medvedev
A good track record in intellectual property protection is one of the conditions required for admission to the World Trade Organization ...
:: Medvedev urges legal reform to stem capital flight
The problems with Russian law are painfully apparent to investors and the fact that no-one uses it is testament to this, complain onlookers ...
:: TRANSCRIPT: Medvedev at St. Petersburg International Legal Forum
Dmitry Medvedev spoke at the first St Petersburg International Legal Forum ...
:: Human Rights Defenders Welcome Economic Crime Amnesty Proposal
Russia's leading human rights defenders have supported the initiative of three State Duma factions - A Just Russia, the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party - to grant amnesty to economic crime convicts ...
:: Navalny Targeted in Fraud Inquiry
In addition to being seen as a warning to back off corruption allegations, the investigation raises new fears about a possible state crackdown on the Internet ahead of State Duma elections in December and the presidential vote next March ...
:: Russian Liberal Parties Come Out In Defence Of Well Known Blogger
The leader of the opposition Yabloko party, Sergey Mitrokhin, thinks that the criminal case launched against well-known Russian blogger and lawyer Aleksey Navalnyy is politically motivated ...
:: Russian deputy governor calls charges against Navalny 'nonsense'
The Russian Investigative Committee has announced that it has reopened a 2009 case against Navalny, a move widely seen as a warning to the whistleblower ahead of the 2012 presidential elections ...
:: Magnitsky and the Mentality of the Siloviki
The Interior Ministry's Silchenko induced a Moscow court to order the arrest of exiled Hermitage partner Ivan Cherkasov, after Hermitage alleged Silchenko is responsible for the death of whistleblowing attorney Sergei Magnitsky ...
:: Kozhin Dismisses Allegations About Officials' Sweet Life as 'Soviet-era Tales'
Vladimir Kozhin, head of the Russian Presidential Property Management Department, has come out to argue on behalf of government officials' ethics regarding their homes and country houses ...
:: Corruption comprises up to two-thirds of property prices in Moscow
Prices on Moscow's notoriously expensive property market are being inflated by up to 60 per cent due to rampant corruption, according to new research ...
:: Court Backs Arrest of Magnitsky Colleague
The Tverskoi District Court sanctioned the arrest of Cherkasov, as Browder denounced Russia's judiciary as working hand in hand with criminals ...
:: Russia may order arrest of Hermitage Capital CEO - paper
The Russian Investigative Committee may soon order the arrest of Hermitage Capital head William Browder amid a controversial tax evasion case that led to the death in custody of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky ...
:: Audit Chamber Lashes Out at Activist
The Audit Chamber has threatened to sue liberal activist Marina Litvinovich for implicating its head and his family in a corruption report, but Litvinovich stuck to her findings, saying she relied on media reports never challenged in court ...
:: Poll Shows Most Russians Do Not Give Bribes, Condemn The Practice
Russians on the whole (82 per cent) have never given a bribe, although one-fifth (18 per cent) have encountered a request from a state official about an unofficial payment for services, according to the results of an April poll by FOM (Public Opinion Foundation) ...
:: Magnitsky Cleared in State-Ordered Check
An independent commission carrying out a Kremlin-ordered inquiry into the death of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky has found that he was illegally jailed and deprived of medical care ...
:: Moscow Mayor Notes Corruption In All Spheres Of City's Municipal Services
Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin has admitted that all municipal services in the city are corrupt ...
:: Marital murmurings in Magnitsky case
Stepanova and a $230 million fraud are at the centre of a media storm, which supporters of the late lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in prison, say ended up in Stepanova's husband's offshore bank accounts ...
:: Court reopens hearing into Hermitage corruption claims
A Moscow court reopened a hearing into the alleged theft of three companies from Hermitage Capital as part of a larger alleged scheme to swindle the authorities out of millions of dollars in false tax rebates ...
:: New Video of Tax Official's $40M Fortune
Millions in Swiss bank accounts, Russia's second-best country house, land holdings in Dubai and Montenegro, on an annual household salary of less than $40,000 ...
:: New British anti-corruption law to curtail investment in Russia - expert
A new British anti-corruption law will prevent British companies from cooperating with corrupt Russian firms, a Russian lawyer said ...
:: Unions sceptical over labour promises
Trade unions are sceptical Medvedev will be able to deliver an improvement in pay and conditions in the work place
:: Russian Trade Unions Note High Popularity Of Illegal Pay Practice
Illegal pay practice is becoming increasingly widespread in Russia and currently accounts for about one-half of all salary payments in the country, the chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia has said ...
:: New Worries of Selective Justice
Bank of Moscow president Andrei Borodin is the latest Russian to end up in London, in the midst of a fraud investigation into his business by Russian law enforcement agencies, coinciding with an aggressive takeover attempt by state-controlled lender VTB ...
:: Police Hail New Reforms to Skeptical Public
A month after the start of the much-trumpeted police reform, a survey found that public attitudes toward the police remain overwhelmingly negative ...
:: Policeman Fired After Media Uproar
A senior Moscow police official was fired for assaulting a journalist - but only after television crews arrived and his superiors started receiving phone calls from reporters ...
:: Putin's Old Teacher Mines a Fortune
Now a multimillionaire, Vladimir Litvinenko's role in supervising Putin's doctorate has been questioned since 2006, when a think tank scholar demonstrated that key sections appeared to have been plagiarized from a U.S. business school textbook ...
:: A newly politicised Russian public
Although United Russia enjoys a monopoly on power, 53 per cent of respondents told the Public Opinion Fund that they were unhappy with the way things were and 21 per cent said they were prepared to take to the streets on the coming weekend ...
:: Censoring Common Knowledge: Legal Action Taken Against Sokolova and Eksmo Will not Stop the Actual Contents of the Book from Spreading
A police seizure of more than 3,500 copies of a new book on corruption in the Moscow Region has pitted the Governor of Moscow Region Boris Gromov and his deputy against a local Forbes.ru reporter and her book's publisher ...
:: Bank of Moscow president flees Russia as police prepare charges
Bank of Moscow President Andrei Borodin has fled Russia as police prepare to charge him with illegally granting a 13 billion ruble ($444 million) loan to Elena Baturina, wife of former Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, sources said ...
:: Kremlin Fires 22 Police Generals
Medvedev dismissed 22 police generals and reappointed 19 others over the weekend, the Kremlin said ...
:: Putin pushes for greater transparency in politicians' expenses
According to Putin, the new measure will improve the quality of government services and create additional barriers to widespread corruption and money laundering, both of which are widespread ...
:: State firms shake-up ordered
Medvedev's radical order to make government ministers abandon their posts at state corporations and remove Sechin from his post as head of Rosneft is being touted as another direct challenge to Putin, but officials and experts have raised doubts ...
:: Top cops axed by Medvedev
More victims of the police reforms have been found as Medvedev fires 10 generals as part of a purge of the force ...
:: Medvedev seeks teeth for anti-corruption drive
In the face of criticism that his highly publicized anti-corruption drive has delivered few if any concrete results, Medvedev ordered a step up in checking the income declarations of officials, as well as the system of government procurement orders ...
:: Suspect in Fraud Exposed By Magnitsky Gets Minimum Sentence - Hermitage Capital
Mosow's Tverskoy court has imposed a minimum sentence on Vyacheslav Khlebnikov, accused by Sergei Magnitsky of stealing 5.4 billion rubles from the federal budget ...
:: One Year Before Russia's Presidential Election, Systemic Corruption Subverts Reform
One year before the pivotal presidential election in March 2012, Russia confronts an immense and growing corruption problem at all levels of government and society that severely threatens chances for reform ...
:: Almost Half of Crimes in 2010 Unresolved - Medvedev
The number of organized crimes that have been solved has dropped by almost a third, Medvedev said ...
:: Bill Backed by Kremlin Gives Police Officers 'Manna'
Medvedev submitted to the State Duma a long-awaited bill to provide the police with social security, aimed at reducing rampant corruption ...
:: Corruption, complicity, careerism: the hydra of Russian justice
The police began by giving Zaika a good beating, during which they found a Swiss Army penknife on his belt. A cunning plan was hatched ...
:: Making Life Easier for Expats
"The only threat that the Kremlin faces from the foreign business lobby is an economic one.: Associations won't have time to adequately promote business because they are mired in red tape ..."
:: Reforming women's prisons
After serving a sentence, a woman has a completely different attitude towards life and it's more difficult for her to reform than for a man ...
:: Catalyst for Corruption: Lack of Proper Control Over Money Earmarked for the Development of the Country's Housing and Communal Services May Have Encouraged Wasteful Spending and Widespread Embezzlement
In the Kremlin's latest effort to deal with Russia's never-ending saga of corruption and official deviance, Medvedev ordered the summary dismissal of any state officials implicated in a suspected scheme to siphon off funds from regional communal and housing services ...
:: Bill on Tenders 'Legalizes Corruption'
Outrage over the tenders system is growing, fueled by whistleblowers ...
:: Official Discusses Plans For Reform Of Russian Prisons
Reymer said that correctional system reform hopefully would be carried out in three stages ...
:: Duma Rushes to Ease Rules for Foreigners
Legislation currently being debated in the State Duma would make foreign visitors register only when they stay longer than seven working days ...
:: Why does the president suggest breaking the law?
"One of the golden rules of politics is that by definition everything that the president says in public should be intentional ..."
:: No Jail Possible for Thieves, Managers
Thieves, hooligans and shady businessmen now have a chance to legally avoid jail after President Dmitry Medvedev signed a new law ...
:: Cops swear off corruption - at least while the focus is on the force
The police are renamed, revamped and now apparently unbribable, but those in the know are suspicious ...
:: New Law Should Help Get Rid of Accusatory Bias in Russian Judicial System - Rights Activist
A new law envisioning penalties other than prison for 68 kinds of crimes is an important step toward liberalizing Russia's criminal procedure, but not the last, Fedotov said ...
:: Tougher Extremism Law Sought
United Russia has proposed to tighten the screws on the country's anti-extremism laws, already often lambasted by critics as ultra-tough ...
:: More corruption controls - but bribes are getting bigger
Against a background of official anti-corruption programmes, the value of bribes keeps going up ... :: Russian Opposition, Human Rights Activists Unimpressed By New Police Law
Opposition activists have described the law "On Police" as rebranding, and believe that it needs drastic revision ... :: Justice Minister Doubts Efficiency of Police Law
Expecting public order from the mere enactment of the bill is a path toward a deadlock, Konovalov said ...
:: New name for Russia's police - and uncertainty in the ranks
On the first day of spring the long-debated police law comes into effect in Russia ...
:: Russian Internet TV Show Discusses Authorities' Inability To Fight Corruption
About 30 per cent of money in Russia is circulating on the black market ...
:: 'About 30 People' Convicted In Russia In 2010 Over Bribes In Excess Of R1m
The head of the State Duma security committee has said that too few persons who take large bribes in Russia are exposed ...
:: Medvedev fires 7 top Russian police officers in ongoing reforms
Medvedev pledged to clean up the country's police force following a series of high-profile scandals ...
:: Medvedev moves to reduce outside pressure on courts
Medvedev proposed changes to the law to allow holding court trials outside an area where an offence has been committed ...
:: Russians 'more concerned' about their rights - ombudsman
Lukin says there has been a 10 percent increase in the number of complaints made about rights abuses, which he put down to increased awareness and more violations ...
:: UN rights chief urges Russia to step up efforts to ensure rule of law, accountability
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged action on reforms to key Russian institutions relating to rule of law and the fight against corruption and discrimination ...
:: Corruption Cases Rose By Over 40 Per Cent In 2010- Chief Russian Investigator
Over 100 investigators were prosecuted last year for corruption-related crimes, according to the head of the Russian Investigations Committee ...
:: Investigators Tie Baturina to $440M
Investigatgors alleged that about 13 billion rubles ($440 million) illegally obtained from the Bank of Moscow was discovered in the personal account of Yelena Baturina, the billionaire wife of ex-Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov ...
:: Can De-Stalinization Save Russia?
Medvedev has approved a program for commemorating victims of totalitarianism and Stalin's terror, giving a green light on an official, government-sponsored campaign of de-Stalinization ...
:: Russia's legal crusader
Given the record of arrests and violence whistleblowers often face, one would think a minority shareholder in Russia's oil pipeline monopoly would get more serious flack for leaking Audit Chamber documents and alleging Transneft stole $4 billion from the government ...
:: Moscow Jail Offers Tanning Instead of Sunshine to Boost Morale
The 240-year-old Moscow prison where Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in 2009 will open a tanning parlor ...
:: Russia May Pursue Criminal Inquiry Into Whistle-Blowing Lawyer
Navalny published on his website what he said was a report by the state budget watchdog showing that oil pipeline operator OAO Transneft officials embezzled $4 billion while building a link to the Pacific Ocean ...
:: Russian Investigators Give Details Of Scale Of Embezzlement By Officials In 2010
In the first 11 months of 2010, operational subdivisions of internal affairs bodies brought to light over 22,000 crimes covered by Article 160 of the Russian Criminal Code (embezzlement or misuse of funds), over 4,000 of them on a large or extra large scale ...
:: Russian Rights Campaigners Criticize New Police Law
According to human rights activists, the federal law 'On the police' does not meet the interests of the citizens of Russia or provide for their involvement in the maintenance of law and order ...
:: Russian Watchdog Uncovers $7.3 Billion in Moscow 'Violations'
City Hall will look at as many as 100,300 investment contracts for housing, commercial property and industrial construction signed since the late 1990s, Deputy Mayor Andrei Sharonov said ...
:: Russia to open corruption hotline, website
Russia's Public Chamber, a state-appointed consultative body, is planning to launch a corruption hotline-cum-website ...
:: Medvedev Opposed to Cancellation of Trial By Jury
The president said that the standard of jurors greatly depends on the standard of society ...
:: Medvedev Praises Adjustments in Laws on Nonprofit Organizations
Dmitry Medvedev argued that laws on nonprofit organizations have improved over the past few years ...
:: Protecting Property Rights: In a Little-Noticed Ruling on Monday, the Constitutional Court Sought to Bolster Property Rights in Russia
Legal experts say the court's ruling will further improve the country's investment climate by providing additional guarantees for private and corporate property rights ...
:: Russian Journalist Wins Lawsuit Against Authorities
A Moscow-based independent weekly with subsidiaries in various Russian cities, "Novaya Gazeta" has seen several of its journalists harassed or killed in recent years ...
:: Putin Pushes Bill for Foreign Investment
A bill softening the law on foreign direct investment into industries deemed by the government as strategically important to national security has been submitted in the State Duma. But some investors say it does not go far enough ...
:: Democracy takes a step back in 2010
All in all, a pretty poor showing for countries in transition that are supposed to play an important part in the global growth story over the next few years ...
:: Interview: Browder Sees 'Tipping Point' In Western Attitudes To Russia
Bill Browder's Hermitage Capital Management fund was Russia's biggest foreign investor until, he says, he complained about corruption and was kicked out of Russia in 2005. He now seeks international sanctions against 60 Russian officials over the prison death of Hermitage legal counsel Sergei Magnitsky ...
:: Russia's Shuvalov Responds To Investment Fund Head Over Lawyer Death
Sergey Magnitskiy was head of the tax and audit department in the British firm Firestone Duncan, which provided legal services for the Hermitage Capital fund. Human rights activists believe that no real investigation into Magnitskiy's death has been conducted ...
:: At Davos, Medvedev Defends Yukos Trial
Medvedev said he would not grant Khodorkovsky a presidential pardon and sought to compare Khodorkovsky with Bernard Madoff ...
:: Putin: Bribery, Lawlessness, Red Tape "chronic Diseases" of Russia
Putin told a Soviet-era joke to illustrate his point ...
:: Crime and punishment in modern Russia
Russia's murder rate could be as high as 46,200 for 2009 despite official statistics saying just 18,200 people were killed ...
:: Deputies 'Cheated' On Police Reform
The Duma's Security Committee on Thursday recommended dropping dozens of the 560 amendments submitted to the bill on police reform ahead of a general vote on Monday ...
:: Moscow allows human rights activists to rally on Jan. 31
City authorities granted permission for 1,000 people to rally on Triumfalnaya Square at the end of January, despite a request for 1,500 people to take part ...
:: Closing the Feeder Trough: New Laws Could Kick Corruption Out of Public Procurement
Russia's federal procurement system a multi-billion dollar program that issues about ten million contracts worth five trillion rubles ($167 billion) annually has been criticized for inconsistencies in law and policies which left it open to abuse by canny officials ... :: Presidential aide links poor investment climate to corruption
Russia's poor investment climate is a result of rampant state corruption, excessive red tape and an inefficient judicial system, Presidential Aide Arkady Dvorkovich said ...
:: Reform still elusive in Russian police bill
Opposition MPs have found their hoped-for police reforms hitting a brick wall, but the public's concerns have made some headway in the controversial bill ...
:: Medvedev urges strict public control over incomes of officials
Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday instructed the national Public Chamber to make sure the incomes of state officials match their income declarations ...
:: Jericho Lesson For Medvedev On Stealing
In Jericho stands a gnarled, 2,000-year-old sycamore tree that offers a stiff rebuke against extortion. Curiously, the tree is owned by Russia ...
:: Guns, Class, and Ethnic Strife in Russia
Last week's shooting spree in Arizona appears to have added ammunition to Russian President Medvedev's campaign to severely restrict handguns ...
:: Judicial Reforms Are Stuck in Place
The country's flawed courts are a threat to the Kremlin's ambitious modernization plans and its attempts to transform Moscow into a global financial center ...
:: 10-Year Study Slams Police Crime Figures
The number of crimes in the country has grown drastically over the past decade, new research shows, debunking optimistic but unconvincing reports to the contrary favored by law enforcement agencies ... :: Medvedev Expands Corruption Fight
President Dmitry Medvedev opened a new front in the war against corruption Thursday, ordering a thorough check of government officials' income declarations and tough penalties against those who provided false information ...
:: Medvedev Calls For Implementing European Standards For Convict Treatment
The rehabilitation of prisoners is the main task of the Russian Penitentiary Service (FSIN), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said ...
:: Playing cat and mouse with Russia's nationalists
Rather than promoting a Frankenstein's Monster of nationalism, as some experts have alleged, last month's response to violent unrest has appeared to show a government largely unprepared to face a grassroots movement that it has never really controlled in the first place ...
:: Russian police account for more than one-third of corruption-related crimes
Law-enforcement agencies, the armed forces, local self-government and Health and Social Development Ministry agencies lead the way when it comes to the number of criminal cases opened over corruption charges, head of the Investigations Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin said ...
:: Whereabouts of $4Bln Is "Classified"
The alleged violations took place during the construction of a major pipeline in Siberia in 2006, and the request to make the document secret came from Transneft itself ...
:: More trust in Russian cops? Critics remain dubious
Interior Minister claims Russia's police are enjoying more public trust but not many appear to have faith in his figures ...
:: Corruption committed mainly by organized criminal groups - FSB chief
Penal Code provisions regarding Organized Criminal Groups must be applied more actively, the FSB's Bortnikov said ...
:: Russia Faces Pressure After Report on Graft
Russia may face international embarrassment if it fails to fulfill its obligations to the Council of Europe's Group of States Against Corruption, or GRECO, in fighting graft and other unscrupulous practices ...
:: Russian parliament to consider presidential bill liberalizing Criminal Code
Amendments would give judges more leeway in their decisions and allow them to fine those found guilty of minor crimes, rather than jailing them or sentencing them to community work ...
:: Event Summary: The Modernization of the Russian Criminal Code in the Economic Sphere
The panel speakers explained that there are two major problems with the criminal law as applied to economic activity: excessive repressiveness and artificial criminalization....
:: Top Russian deputy calls on United States to respect Russian court rulings
On Monday a statement by the U.S. National Security Council spokesman read: "... we were surprised to learn that some of these demonstrators were arrested on December 31st, and in the case of Boris Nemtsov and some others, given long sentences for what seemed to be an exercise of their constitutional rights," it said...
Law, Crime, Corruption - JRL Excerpts 2009-10
:: Lawyer's death in prison led to penal system shake-up - Russian justice minister
From Interfax; JRL #2009-235, Dec. 26, 2009.
:: Contested Retail Bill Clears Duma Hurdle
By Irina Filatova, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-230, Dec. 17, 2009.
:: Corruption fans flames
By Anna Arutunyan, from The Moscow News; JRL #2009-228, Dec. 15, 2009
:: Lawyer Hails Planned Russian Law to Free Ailing Jail Inmates
Interfax; JRL 2010-234; Dec. 22, 2010
:: Russia passes bill to release terminally ill suspects from custody
Interfax; JRL 2010-233; Dec. 21, 2010
:: Putin Calls for Fewer Jury Trials
Nabi Abdullaev, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-236; Dec. 28, 2010
:: Putin wants prison for registration offenders
Evgeniya Chaykovskaya, Moscow News; JRL 2010-236; Dec. 28, 2010
:: Medvedev Says Russia Must 'Purge' Criminal Officials
Henry Meyer, Ilya Arkhipov, Bloomberg; JRL 2010-235; Dec. 25, 2010
:: Scale of Drug Addiction in Russia "apocalyptic" - Drug Control Service Chief
Interfax; JRL #2010-234, Dec. 22, 2010
:: Trust Nobody: Most Russians Don't Trust Anybody Else, but Believe They Have the Right to Deceive Others
Svetlana Kononova, Russia Profile; JRL #2010-233, Dec. 21, 2010
:: Russian human rights ombudsman calls for dialogue after disorder in Moscow
Interfax; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Moscow unrest - thousands arrested, barely a dozen charged
Andy Potts, Moscow News; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Kushchyovskaya massacre signals failure of entire law enforcement system - Putin
Interfax; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Russian human rights ombudsman calls for dialogue after disorder in Moscow
Interfax; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Moscow unrest - thousands arrested, barely a dozen charged
Andy Potts, Moscow News; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Kushchyovskaya massacre signals failure of entire law enforcement system - Putin
Interfax; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: What Lies Ahead After a Year of Thieving
Derek Andersen, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-231; Dec. 17, 2010
:: Rioting Erupts Near Kremlin Walls
Alexander Bratersky, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-229; Dec. 13, 2010
:: Nationalist rallies could lead to collapse of Russia - opposition leader
Interfax; JRL 2010-229; Dec. 13, 2010
:: Kushchevskaya whistle-blower faces accusations
Andy Potts, Moscow News; JRL #2010-228, Dec. 10, 2010
:: Majority of Russians Finally Weary of Graft, Survey Says
Natalya Krainova, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-228; Dec. 10, 2010
:: A criminal cancer in Krasnodar
Anna Arutunyan, Moscow News; JRL #2010-227, Dec. 7, 2010
:: Russia to get its own WikiLeaks
Tom Washington, Moscow News; JRL #2010-227, Dec. 7, 2010
:: Moscow mayor asks business to report corruption
RIA Novosti; JRL 2010-226; Dec. 6, 2010
:: Presidential auditor fired for bribes as corruption gets worse
Tom Washington, Moscow News; JRL 2010-222; Nov. 20, 2010
:: Medvedev Seeks Bribe Fines 100 Times Payments to Fight Graft
Ilya Arkhipov, Bloomberg; JRL 2010-222; Nov. 20, 2010
:: Russian director portrays 'human side' of traffic cops
Alexei Korolyov, RIA Novosti; JRL 2010-223; Dec. 1, 2010
:: Medvedev Calls Police 'crap'
Interfax; JRL 2010-218; Nov. 22, 2010
:: Moscow Seethes as Bout Flies to U.S.
Howard Amos, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-215; Nov. 17, 2010
:: Case Into Magnitsky's Jail Death Nears End
Alexandra Odynova, Moscow Times; JRL 2010-215; Nov. 17, 2010 :: Russian prosecutors drop charges against businesswoman who died in custody
RIA Novosti; JRL 2010-215; Nov. 17, 2010
:: Medvedev Says Fraud in State Tenders Costs $33Bln Yearly
Moscow Times; JRL 2010-205; Nov. 1, 2010
:: Corruption Watch: Bribery still on the rise
Business New Europe; JRL 2010-203; Oct. 28, 2010
:: NGO Pledges 'Nightmares' for Corrupt Government Officials
Moscow Times; JRL 2010-203; Oct. 28, 2010
:: Corruption Rating Barely Changed
Nikolaus von Twickel; Moscow Times; JRL 2010-202; Oct. 27, 2010
:: Bastrykin proposes to reduce list of privileged officials as anti-corruption measure
Interfax; JRL 2010-199; Oct. 22, 2010
:: Moscow Mayor Sobyanin Inherits Gridlock, Deficit, Corruption
Lucian Kim, Bloomberg; JRL 2010-198; Oct. 21, 2010
:: Russians skeptical on police reform - poll
Interfax;
JRL 2010-174, Sept. 15, 2010
:: Ruling party MP: current police bill to turn Russia into 'concentration camp'
Interfax; JRL 2010-170, Sept. 7, 2010 :: Planned Law to Rid Russian Police of Soviet "birthmarks"- Lawmaker
From
Interfax; JRL 2010-154-17, Aug. 16, 2010
:: Rights Commission Blames Russian Jail Inmate's Death on Justice Officials
From Interfax; JRL #2009-237, Dec. 30, 2009.
From Interfax; JRL #2009-237, Dec. 30, 2009.
:: Kremlin Vow to Overhaul Police Rings Hollow
By Nabi Abdullaev, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-236, Dec. 28, 2009.
:: Russian politicians, experts divided on Medvedev's police reform
From Interfax; JRL #2009-236, Dec. 28, 2009.
:: Justice Minister Vows Jail Reforms
By Alexander Bratersky, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-236, Dec. 28, 2009.
:: Lawyer's death in prison led to penal system shake-up - Russian justice minister
From Interfax; JRL #2009-235, Dec. 26, 2009.
:: Contested Retail Bill Clears Duma Hurdle
By Irina Filatova, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-230, Dec. 17, 2009.
:: Corruption fans flames
By Anna Arutunyan, from The Moscow News; JRL #2009-228, Dec. 15, 2009.
:: Two Senior Judges Quit After Criticism
By Nikolaus von Twickel, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-222, Dec. 3, 2009.
:: Constitutional Court Was Pressured Only Once, During Yeltsin's Time - Chairman
From Interfax; JRL #2009-222, Dec. 3, 2009.
:: Top Russian Judge Against Death Penalty Issue Hinging on Polls, Referendums Alone
From Interfax; JRL #2009-222, Dec. 3, 2009.
:: Courts to Form Agency to Win Public Trust
By Alexandra Odynova, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-222, Dec. 3, 2009.
:: Corruption in Russia, Part 1: A "Normal" Part Of Everyday Life
By Gregory Feifer, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL #2009-219, Nov. 30, 2009.
:: Corruption In Russia, Part 2: "Law Enforcers" Often The Worst Offenders
By Gregory Feifer, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL #2009-219, Nov. 30, 2009.
:: Corruption in Russia, Part 3: How Russia Is Ruled
By Gregory Feifer, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL #2009-219, Nov. 30, 2009.
:: Russian rights activists, opposition demand police reform
From Interfax; JRL #2009-219, Nov. 30, 2009.
:: Russian Interior Ministry Structured to Make People Work "dishonestly" - MP
From Interfax; JRL #2009-218, Nov. 27, 2009.
:: Debate Over Police Reform Heats Up
By Nikolaus von Twickel and Nabi Abdullaev, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-218, Nov. 27, 2009.
:: Violations in criminal court procedure on rise - Russian rights ombudsman
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL #2009-218, Nov. 27, 2009.
:: Over 500 members of Russia's legislative bodies come under prosecution in 2009 - agency
From Interfax; JRL #2009-215, Nov. 24, 2009.
:: Court Ruling Shelves Death Penalty
By Alexander Bratersky, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-213, Nov. 20, 2009.
:: Politics behind Russian Constitutional Court's ban on death penalty - pundit
From Interfax; JRL #2009-213, Nov. 20, 2009.
:: Grafting the Future: Despite the President’s Proclaimed War on Corruption, Over the Past Year Russia Gained a Mere Tenth of a Point in TI’s Corruption Index
By Tom Balmforth, from Russia Profile; JRL #2009-213, Nov. 20, 2009.
:: Ban on death penalty should be followed by ban on abortion - Russian Patriarchate
From Interfax; JRL #2009-212, Nov. 19, 2009.
:: Russia Leads the World in Economic Crime, Report Says
By Alex Anishyuk, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-212, Nov. 19, 2009.
:: Report: Anti-Graft Drive Mostly Talk
By Alexander Bratersky, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-211, Nov. 18, 2009.
:: Death of Hermitage Lawyer in Russian Prison
From Katie Fisher; JRL #2009-210, Nov. 17, 2009.
:: Philosophers brawl in downtown Moscow
From Interfax; JRL #2009-209, Nov. 16, 2009.
:: Pros and cons of capital punishment
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL #2009-208, Nov. 13, 2009.
:: Investigators Slam State Corporations
By Peter France, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-206, Nov. 11, 2009.
:: Nurgaliyev in No Mood to Celebrate Police Day
By Nikolaus von Twickel, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-206, Nov. 11, 2009.
:: Public Chamber calls for urgent steps against rising police crime
From Interfax; JRL #2009-198, Oct. 28, 2009.
:: Corruption Seeps Into Online State Tenders
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-193, Oct. 20, 2009.
:: Thieves above the law
By Tim Wall, from The Moscow News; JRL #2009-193, Oct. 20, 2009.
:: Russian crime bosses worried, forced to use conference calls - police source
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL #2009-193, Oct. 20, 2009.
:: Hard Times For Russia's Crime Bosses
By Mark Galeotti, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL #2009-190, Oct. 15, 2009.
:: Interview: On The State Of Organized Crime In Russia
From Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL #2009-190, Oct. 15, 2009.
:: Organised for crime: While some criminal activity is normal in any society and - as Emile Durkheim wrote almost a century ago - even necessary, the level of crime in today's Russia is striking
By E. Andreeva, from Russia Law Online; JRL #2009-188, Oct. 13, 2009.
:: Hermitage YouTube Video on Russian Police Fraud
From Katie Fisher; JRL #2009-187, Oct. 12, 2009.
[video also embedded here]
:: Russian Politics and Law - New Issue Alert
From Irina Burns; JRL #2009-187, Oct. 12, 2009.
:: Russian rights centre hits at prosecution of historian studying 1940s deportees
From Interfax; JRL #2009-186, Oct. 7, 2009.
:: Have Russia’s Dirty Generals Turned On Shamanov?
By Mark Galeotti, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; JRL 2009-181, Sept. 30, 2009.
:: Luzhkov Sues Politician for Corruption Claim
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-165, Sept. 4, 2009.
:: Average bribe in Russia amounts to R1m - Interior Ministry
From Interfax; JRL #2009-165, Sept. 4, 2009.
:: Graft, Red Tape Dent Russia's Ratings
By Maria Antonova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-168, Sept. 10, 2009.
:: Russian Politics and Law - New Issue Alert
From Irina Burns; JRL 2009-159, Aug. 27, 2009.
:: New Anti-Cheating Exam Leads to Cheating
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-157, Aug. 25, 2009.
:: No Sympathy for the Jury: Trial by Jury Was Once Considered an Essential Step Toward Democracy, but Has Become a Favorite Whipping Boy for Russian Politicians Trying to Look Tough in Law and Order
By Albina Kovalyova, from Russia Profile; JRL 2009-155, Aug. 21, 2009.
:: Medvedev Proposes Ending Jury Trials for More Crimes
From The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-149, Aug. 13, 2009.
:: Rights Activist Slams Medvedev Proposal to Limit Jurisdiction of Jury Courts
From Interfax; JRL 2009-154, Aug. 20, 2009.
:: Surkov Writes Novel About Corruption
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-149, Aug. 13, 2009.
:: How to Bring Criminal Masterminds to Justice
By John Beyrle, featured in The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-146, Aug. 5, 2009.
:: Corruption spikes as crackdown looms
By Ed Bentley, from The Moscow News; JRL 2009-139, July 24, 2009.
:: Community Service May Replace Jail Terms
By Alexander Velikanov, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-139, July 24, 2009.
:: Courts Get $29Bln in Corruption Cases
From The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-139, July 24, 2009.
:: Russia's rule of law is in the hands of its judges, where it belongs
From Robert Teets; JRL 2009-135, July 20, 2009.
:: WILL RUSSIA PUSH THE RESET BUTTON ON “RULE OF LAW” WITH ITS OWN CITIZENS?
From Tom Thomson; JRL 2009-133, July 15, 2009.
:: 1,103 data points on Russia’s development as a market economy & rule of law society.
From Robert Teets; JRL 2009-125, July 6, 2009.
:: European Watchdog Castigates Courts
By Ira Iosebashvili, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-118, June 24, 2009.
:: Oil Exploration Law May Need Revisions
By Anatoly Medetsky, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-118, June 24, 2009.
:: Survey on Police Force Hints Anti-Graft Drive Is Working
From The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-108, June 10, 2009.
:: Chita's "Mowgli Girl" Getting Adjusted to Normal Human Life
From Interfax; JRL 2009-108, June 10, 2009.
:: More People Are Paying Bribes, Says New Survey
By Nikolaus von Twickel, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-104, June 4, 2009.
:: Medvedev’s Proposed Legal Education Reform
From Paul Backer; JRL 2009-103, June 3, 2009.
:: Policemen to Wear Name Badges
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-103, June 2, 2009.
:: Authorities Speak Up Against Child Sex Abuse
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-102, June 2, 2009.
:: Tilting at the Windmills of Corruption
One Year into the War on Corruption, Medvedev’s Crusaders Have Few Victories
By Roland Oliphant, from Russia Profile; JRL 2009-100, May 29, 2009.
:: Cops Will Have to Declare Income to Bosses
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-98, May 27, 2009.
:: The Most Brutal Defenders: Faith in the Police Is at Rock Bottom, but So Is Faith in the Power of Protest
By Shaun Walker, from Russia Profile; JRL 2009-95, May 21, 2009.
:: Russians Think Boss Is Corrupt
By Ira Iosebashvili, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-95, May 21, 2009.
:: Dmitry Medvedev submitted draft federal laws on anti-corruption expertise of regulatory acts to the State Duma.
Kremlin transcript; JRL 2009-95, May 21, 2009.
:: Medvedev says no more bailouts, no more subsidies - experts on budget address
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL #2009-97, May 26, 2009.
:: Russia's Medvedev says corruption needs to be "improper"
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL #2009-95, May 21, 2009.
:: On Implementing National Anti-Corruption Plan Measures
Kremlin transcript; JRL 2009-94, May 20, 2009.
:: Grassroots Effort Emerges to Fight Russian Corruption
By Peter Fedynsky, from Voice of America; JRL 2009-93, May 19, 2009.
:: Who Is to Judge? Experts See Medvedev’s New Initiative as a Step Toward Tighter Presidential Control of the Judiciary By Albina Kovalyova, from Russia Profile; JRL 2009-90, May 15, 2009.
:: Former judge slams Medvedev's plans to appoint Constitutional Court head
From Interfax; JRL 2009-88, May 12, 2009.
:: Former judge slams Medvedev's plans to appoint Constitutional Court head
From Interfax; JRL 2009-88, May 12, 2009.
:: Mogilyansky case example of successful U.S.-Russia cooperation -ambassador
From Interfax; JRL 2009-83, May 4, 2009.
:: Anti-Graft Measure Fails to Impress the Public
By Anna Malpas, from The Moscow Times; JRL 2009-83, May 4, 2009.
:: Overall crime in Russia falling, organized crime rising - prosecutor-general
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL 2009-82, May 1, 2009.
:: Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing: The Dismissal of the Moscow Police Chief May Have Appeased the Public but Did Little to Help Solve the Problem
By Roland Oliphant, from Russia Profile; JRL 2009-78, April 30, 2009.
:: Russian politicians divided over departure of Moscow police chief
From Interfax; JRL 2009-78, April 27, 2009.
:: Russian Information Ministry: Most Russians resigned to corruption - poll
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL 2009-78, April 27, 2009.
:: Russian presidential administration drafts new anti-corruption package
From Interfax; JRL #2009-76, April 23, 2009.
:: What Hath the President?
A True Battle against Corruption Presupposes a Smaller Number of Bureaucrats
By Roland Oliphant, from Russia Profile; JRL #2009-67, April 10, 2009.
:: Ministry Tries to Make Gentlemen of Cops
By Natalya Krainova, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-60, March 26, 2009.
:: Medvedev Declares Anti-Graft Initiative
By Nikolaus von Twickel, from The Moscow Times; JRL #2009-49, March 12, 2009.
:: [Medvedev] Speech at a Meeting of the Anti-Corruption Council
Kremlin trancript; JRL 2008-47, March 12, 2009.
:: Laws Made to Be Broken: From Getting Proper Registrations to Storing Eggs in a Certain Manner, Russia Has Laws that Are Easier to Circumvent than to Follow
By Shaun Walker, from Russia Profile; JRL #2009-43, March 3, 2009.
:: Backer on Liakhov on Backer and Backer about Backer on Backer
From: Paul Backer; JRL #2009-43, March 3, 2009.
:: RE: 2009-#41-Johnson's Russia List - On Backer/ contracts
From Andrei Liakhov; JRL #2009-42, March 2, 2009.
:: Russian Interior Ministry denies shoot-to-kill orders
From Russian (government) Information Agency Novosti; JRL 2008-42, March 2, 2009.
:: The 2009 Financial Crisis, Russia and CIS: Part 2. Structural reasons driving the 2009 financial crisis and Cassandra 101.
From Paul Backer; JRL #2009-41, Feb. 27, 2009.
:: A New Broom for Old Dust
Anton Ivanov Emerges as Medvedev’s New Cleaning Tool for Russian Courts
By Roland Oliphant, from Russia Profile; JRL #2009-41, Feb. 27, 2009.
:: The 2009 Financial Crisis, Russia and CIS: Part 2. Structural reasons driving the 2009 financial crisis and Cassandra 101.
From Paul Backer; JRL #2009-41, Feb. 27, 2009.
:: Opening Remarks at an Expanded Meeting of the Collegium of the Prosecutor General’s Office
Kremlin transcript; JRL #2009-40, Feb. 26, 2009.
:: Opening Remarks at an Expanded Meeting of the Collegium of the Prosecutor General’s Office
Kremlin transcript; JRL #2009-40, Feb. 26, 2009.
:: [Medvedev] Opening Address at the Meeting of the State Council Presidium “On the Condition of the Correctional System of the Russian Federation”
Kremlin transcript; JRL #2009-32, Feb. 16, 2009.
:: Beginning of a [Medvedev] Meeting with President of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin
Kremlin transcript; JRL #2009-32, Feb. 16, 2009.
:: Corruption a threat to national security - Russian presidential staff
From Interfax; JRL #2009-31, Feb. 13, 2009.
:: Medvedev urges broader use of curbs on suspects' freedom instead of pre-trial detention
From Interfax; JRL #2009-30, Feb. 12, 2009.
:: Excerpts from [Medvedev] Speech at the VII National Congress of Judges
Kremlin transcript; JRL #2009-8, Jan. 13, 2009.