Wide-Ranging Prison Reforms Imminent

Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov announced proposals to reform the prison system, with emphasis on shifting from widespread use of detention to milder alternatives such as administrative sanctions for lesser crimes, and eliminating the system of corrective labor institutions, which Konovalov described as a throwback to Stalin-era concentration camps. Prison reform has been on the national agenda since 1997, but efforts have increased over the past year, and recent impetus has come from the November 2009 death of tax advisor Sergei Magnitskey in pre-trial detention from lack of medical care. The head of the federal prison agency has indicated that Magnitskey's death was the reason for the dismissal of Moscow's chief prison official.
http://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/2009/12/30/222458

Kyrgyz Child Slaves Freed near Moscow

Russian police freed fifteen Kyrgyz children, aged 11 to 17, who were recruited from poor families by a Kyrgyz native and forced to work in an illegal sewing factory in Noginsk near Moscow. They say they were kept in barracks and worked 12 hours a day for food, mostly bread with mayonnaise. Criminal charges are expected.

http://russian-law.livejournal.com/52900.html (see video)

Presidential Widow Seeks German Asylum

The widow of Georgia’s first post-Soviet president Zviad Gamsakhurdia has requested political asylum in Germany. She asserts that her son Tsotne is being held on false assault charges for political reasons. Investigators have described the alleged assault as the result of a personal conflict. Tsotne was previously charged with attempting to overthrow Georgia’s government in 2007.
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1301010

Customs Seeks Currency Powers

The Federal Customs Service has proposed legislative amendments authorizing it to seize currency from a traveler who refuses to disclose its source or when the currency is suspected of being connected to money laundering. Under current legislation the Customs Service may only check whether currency over $3,000 is declared. Neither the Customs Service nor other officials could explain the purpose of the proposed new powers, and an official of the Ministry of Economic Development commented that the Customs Service is seeking authority beyond its jurisdiction.
www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/article/12/28/222318

Court Increases McDonald's Rent 1,000-fold

A court in Moscow upheld the claim of the Moscow government seeking to increase the contractually agreed rent paid by a McDonald's restaurant in central Moscow. In 1992 the Moscow government, striving to attract McDonald's to Moscow, offered a 49-year rental contract at 1 ruble per square meter per year. Now the government apparently thinks this is too low. The court agreed to increase the rent to 1,000 rubles per square meter, which is still the lowest rent in Moscow.
http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1300501&NodesID=4

Ukraine Seeks Genocide Verdict

Ukraine’s state security service is conducting an investigation of the 1930s famine in the country and has named Joseph Stalin and other top Soviet and Ukrainian Communist Party leaders as the main suspects in genocide against the Ukrainian people. The investigators are expected to seek a court decision equating Communism with Nazism, but some observers argue that essential elements of a court case are missing, for example, living defendants.
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1298511

Chechen President Not to Attack Georgia and Ukraine

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov’s representatives stated the media wrongly accused Kadyrov of plans to “attack Ukraine and Georgia.” In his interview with Reuters Kadyrov said: “Georgia, South Ossetia, Ukraine, all this will go on and on. It's Russia's private affliction. Why should we always suffer if we can eradicate this for good? We are a great power, we have everything - an army, technology. We need to attack.” Ukraine and Georgia expressed discontent with the “aggressive statements.” In response, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that “Russia's foreign policy does not envision making attacks on other states.”


http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1298494
http://en.rian.ru/world/20091224/157345433.html

Former Moldovan Interior Minister Prosecuted

In Moldova criminal proceedings were instituted against a number of former high-ranking police officials, including former Interior Minister Georgy Papuk. The investigation is related to the mass disorders that took place in Moldova in the wake of April 2009 parliamentary elections, when opposition demonstrators took over and looted the presidential palace and the parliament building. The opposition, in turn, acсused the police of unnecessary brutality. The police officials are charged with “criminal negligence.”

http://lenta.ru/news/2009/12/23/case1/

Criminal Liability for Tax Offenses Relaxed

Russia’s State Duma adopted amendments to criminal and tax legislation according to which tax offences are largely decriminalized. First-time offenders can avoid criminal liability by paying the back taxes, interest, and fines. The amendments still need to be approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President.

http://top.rbc.ru/society/23/12/2009/356941.shtml