Resolution on the case of Ildar Dadin, prisoner of conscience in Russia

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the case of Ildar Dadin, prisoner of conscience in Russia.

The text adopted was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE and Greens/EFA groups.

Members recalled that the Russian opposition activist Ildar Dadin was sentenced to three years in jail after organising a series of peaceful anti-war protests and assemblies, being the first person in Russia to be convicted under a tough public assembly law adopted in 2014.

During his ongoing imprisonment Mr Dadin has reportedly suffered repeated torture, beatings, inhumane treatment and threats of murder at the hands of the Russian authorities. Therefore, Members called for the immediate and unconditional release of Ildar Dadin and all those detained on false or unsubstantiated charges or for using their right of freedom of expression and assembly.

Members are profoundly concerned that the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has been amended by an article that places new restrictions on public gatherings and provides for such gatherings to be considered a criminal act.

They urged the Russian authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of the allegations made by Ildar Dadin of torture and ill-treatment and to carry out a thorough review of its penitentiary system with a view to undertaking a deep reform of the system.

Members expressed their solidarity with those arrested in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimean Tatars, on false and unsubstantiated charges, and called for their immediate release.

While reminding Russia of the importance of full compliance with its international legal obligations, Members called on the Government of Russia to take concrete and immediate steps to comply with all ECHR judgments against Russia. In this regard, they regretted the fact that the Russian Federation, in new legislation adopted in December 2015, has empowered its Constitutional Court to overturn ECHR judgments. They expressed their concern over the presidential decree withdrawing Russia from the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Lastly, Parliament called on the Council to adopt a series of targeted sanctions to punish those responsible for the mistreatment of Ildar Dadin and other human rights activists.