MOSCOW, September 26 (RAPSI, Nikolay Merkulov) – A considerable drop in the number of suicides committed in Moscow detention facilities was recorded in 2017, the capital city’s human rights commissioner Tatiana Potyayeva said during a press conference on Tuesday.

The work on suicide rate decrease is managed in cooperation with the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN), Potyayeva stressed. According to the ombudsman, there is a need to improve video monitoring in detention facilities.

Suicides are committed in Moscow detention centers annually. In 2015 and 2016, there were 6 and 7 suicides respectively, while only 2 detainees committed suicide in 2017. Therefore, the suicide prevention policy is effective, Potyayeva noted.

Human rights campaigners in turn mentioned that the quality of medical care in detention facilities had improved.

According to Moscow’s ombudsman, 316 complaints by detainees have been recorded since the beginning of the year; most of them are related to medical care. Only 12% of all applications are connected with convoy, judicial system operation and investigative activities, Potyayeva said.