Sunna Ævarsdóttir (Iceland, SOC), the rapporteur on political prisoners in Russia for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has commented on recent developments in the case of Alexey Pichugin:
“I am gravely concerned at news reports from Russia that Alexey Pichugin, recognised by human rights groups as a political prisoner under the criteria set out in PACE Resolution 1900 (2012), is being held incommunicado in Moscow’s main FSB prison at Lefortovo and has renounced his long-time legal defence team.
Mr Pichugin has been imprisoned since 2003 despite two judgments by the European Court of Human Rights finding violations of his right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the Convention; despite the decision by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention finding his imprisonment to be ‘arbitrary’; and despite repeated calls by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to the Russian authorities to take ‘measures as soon as possible to ensure his release’.
I strongly urge the competent Russian authorities to ensure that Mr Pichugin’s legal rights are not violated, in particular his right to life and his right not to be tortured; and to fully implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, by releasing Mr Pichugin without delay.”
