New Group Created In Russia To Defend Prisoners' Rights

Women in a prison in the Rostov region (ITAR-TASS) October 24, 2006 -- Russian human rights activists today announced the creation of a new group, For Prisoner's Rights, to defend the rights of inmates in the country.

The chairman of the group, Lev Ponomarev, told a press conference that the Russian authorities regularly resort to acts of violence against inmates in at least 40 Russian prison colonies.

Rights violations include torture and collective punishment.

(AFP)