MOSCOW, August 14 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Justice Ministry has drafted a bill on involvement of professional mediators in the review of criminal cases against minors.
The document has been published on the official website of judicial acts.

The bill introduces changes to Russia’s Criminal Procedure Code and defines a new type of participant in court proceedings – a mediator. According to the draft law, this person must have special skills and, with permission of an investigator, may be allowed to participate in the criminal proceedings alongside legal representatives of a minor.

Rights of a mediator are restricted by his or her goals towards conciliation between a minor, suspected or charged with a crime, and a victim. The bill introduces a new procedure – meetings between a minor and a victim, if the latter agrees. The draft law reads that courts should acknowledge minor’s actions towards conciliation with a victim and reparation of the caused damage, if the settlement was not achieved officially.

The Ministry also proposes to amend laws On prevention of child neglect and crimes committed by minors, On guardianship and custodianship, and Russia’s Family Code.