MOSCOW, November 26 (RAPSI) – The number of complaints submitted by persons held in penitentiary facilities to Russia’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has increased.

Every fifth application had been filed with the Ombudsman’s Office from custody, Moskalkova said at a training workshop for rights commissioners which took place in Moscow on Monday. 

According to the Federal Ombudsman, in 2020 she received 4,061 complaints from penitentiary facilities as compared to 3,567 in 2019 and 3,131 in 2018.

Moskalkova pointed increase in the applications touching such problems as provision of medical services, jail conditions, illegal actions of penal officers and requests for sentence serving near home and release from punishment (parole, illnesses).