MOSCOW, August 12 (RAPSI) - President Vladimir Putin may soon sign an executive order to create a state award for outstanding human rights activists, Kommersant reports on Wednesday.

The newspaper quotes Mikhail Fedotov, Head of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, as saying that there are state awards in culture and the arts, science and technology.

However, no such award has been established in human rights yet. The award is necessary to increase the prestige of this activity and increase public trust towards human rights activists.

Kommersant reports that the executive order on establishing the awards has already reached the President. The news was confirmed by the Kremlin Executive Office and the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights.

Back in 2013, Yelizaveta Glinka (Doctor Liza), member of the council and Director of Spravedlivaya Pomoshch international public organization, proposed establishing such an award to the President for those who volunteer to help people in very difficult circumstances. Putin said the idea “was absolutely right” and gave instructions to work on establishing an annual state award for human rights protection and charity work.