Source: http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/progress/country-reports/russian-federation.html
Timestamp: 2017-11-22 18:29:29
Document Index: 297803766

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 54', 'art. 63', 'art. 65', 'art. 116', 'art. 115', 'art. 116', 'art. 117', 'art. 5', 'art. 88']

Russian Federation country report - Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children
Country report for Russian Federation
There appears to be no defence of “reasonable chastisement” or similar in existing legislation but the near universal acceptance of corporal punishment in childrearing necessitates clarity in law that no level of corporal punishment is acceptable. Prohibition should be enacted of all corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment, in the home and all other settings where adults have authority over children.
Corporal punishment is lawful in the home. The Family Code 1995 provides for the protection of children’s human dignity by their parents (art. 54) and protection from abuse by parents (arts. 56 and 69). It states that parents have a right and duty to educate their children and must care for their children’s “health, physical, mental, spiritual and moral development” (art. 63) and that “methods of parenting should not include neglectful, cruel or degrading treatment, abuse or exploitation of children” (art. 65). The Criminal Code 1996 punishes intentional serious, less serious and minor harm to health (arts. 111 to 115) and “beating or other violent acts which cause physical pain but not the consequences in article 115” (art. 116 and 116-1). In 2010, the Ministry of Justice stated that provisions in the Family and Criminal Codes amount to prohibition of corporal punishment of children.[1] However, in the absence of explicit prohibition it is not clear that they effectively prohibit all forms of physical punishment in childrearing.
There is no explicit prohibition of corporal punishment of children in the Law on Guarantees of the Rights of the Child 1998, the Law on Guardianship and Custody 2008, the Criminal Code 1996, the Code on Administrative Offences 2001 or the Constitution 1993. President’s decree No. 761 dated 1 June 2012 “On the national strategy of activities in the interests of children for 2012-2017” states that one of the measures focused on the formation of a safe and comfortable family environment is the creation and adoption of a programme promoting intolerance to any forms of violence and corporal punishment of children. However, no such programme appears to exist.[2]
The Council of Europe’s petition against all corporal punishment, part of its campaign to achieve prohibition in all member states, was supported by Russian officials but to our knowledge there have been no moves towards law reform on the issue. A Law on Domestic Violence is being drafted[3] - in 2017, it was “pending adoption”.[4] Draft amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences[5] have been submitted to the State Duma: the aim of the bill is to prohibit insulting harassment, vulgar language and other intentional behaviour disturbing the public order or peace of citizens conducted at home.
In December 2014, the member of the Federation Council proposed amendments to the Criminal Code introducing higher liability for intentional minor harm to health (art. 115), beating (art. 116) and torture (art. 117) committed against relatives or former relatives.[6] Amendments to the Criminal Code were voted in July 2016, modifying article 116 to include having a family relationship with the victim an aggravating factor of battery and thus criminalising family violence. Article 116-1 was also added, making the first occurrence of battery without an aggravating factor an administrative offence.[7] Both articles 116 and 116-1 refer to battery that does not cause “substantial bodily harm”. These amendments do not explicitly prohibit all corporal punishment of children. In January 2017, a Bill aiming to overturn these amendments and decriminalise family violence was voted by the Duma.[8] The Bill removes from article 116 the mention of the family relationship as an aggravating factor, which makes the first occurrence of domestic violence an administrative offence under article 116-1. However, repeat offenses within a year can result in criminal prosecution. The Bill was promulgated into law in February 2017.
Corporal punishment is lawful in alternative care settings as in the home. There is no explicit prohibition of corporal punishment in all alternative care settings (foster care, institutions, places of safety, emergency care, etc). Children are legally protected from some but not all physical punishment under the Family Code 1995 and the Criminal Code 1996 (see under “Home”).
Corporal punishment is considered unlawful in ore-school day care settings under the Law on Education 2012 (see under “Schools”, below). There is no prohibition of all forms of corporal punishment in other early childhood care and in day care for older children. Act No. 3185-1 on Psychiatric Care and Guarantees for the Rights of Citizens Receiving Such Care 1992 states that the provision of care must be humane and must respect human and civil rights but it does not explicitly prohibit corporal punishment. Children are legally protected from some but not all physical punishment under the Family Code 1995 and the Criminal Code 1996 (see under “Home”).
Corporal punishment is considered unlawful in schools, though it is not explicitly prohibited. Article 34 of the Law on Education 2012 states that students have the right to “(9) respect for human dignity, protection from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury personality, the protection of life and health”; article 43(3) states that “discipline in educational activities is provided on the basis of respect for human dignity of students and teachers” and “application of physical and mental violence to students is not allowed” (unofficial translation). The Code on Administrative Offences 2001 punishes violations of the right to education (art. 5(57)).
Corporal punishment is considered unlawful as a disciplinary measure in penal institutions, though there appears to be no explicit prohibition. Article 12(2) of the Criminal and Executive Code 1997 states (unofficial translation): “Prisoners are entitled to courteous treatment by staff of penal institutions. They should not be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or recovery. Coercive measures to convicts can be applied not only as to the law.” There is no provision for corporal punishment in correctional institutions (arts. 115 and 136). Article 8(1)(4) of the Law on the Fundamentals of the System of Prevention of Neglect and Offences of Minors 1999 states that in the case of minors “the use of physical and psychological violence” and “the application of measures with an anti-pedagogical nature, degrading human dignity” are prohibited. The provisions against beating and intentional causing of harm in the Criminal Code 1996 (arts. 111 to 116) are also applicable.
Corporal punishment is unlawful as a sentence for crime. There is no provision for judicial corporal punishment in criminal law. Article 7 of the Criminal Code 1996 states that punishment and other measures applied to a convicted person “cannot have the purpose of causing physical suffering or humiliation of human dignity”. The Code sets out the sentences which may be given to minors and these do not include corporal punishment (art. 88).
Universal Periodic Review of Russian Federation’s human rights record
The Russian Federation was reviewed in the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review in 2009 (session 4). No recommendations were made specifically concerning corporal punishment of children. However, the following recommendations were made and were accepted by the Government:[9]
“Continue its efforts in ensuring the respect and promotion of human rights principles despite all existing challenges and obstacles (Palestine);
“Continue to refine its domestic legislation in the field of human rights and freedoms (Zimbabwe);
“Continue with its current positive efforts for furtherance of the human rights protection (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea);
“Develop and carry out the whole range of measures for the practical implementation of provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two Optional Protocols (Belarus);
“Pursue its action plans to protect the rights of the child and of the family (Saudi Arabia)”
The second cycle review took place in 2013 (session 16). No recommendations were made specifically on corporal punishment of children but the following recommendations were made and were accepted by the Government:[10]
“Further strengthen the legal and policy frameworks for the protection of the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities and elderly persons (Ethiopia);
“Continue its measures with regard to the promotion and protection of children’s rights and combating violence against women (Azerbaijan);
“Keep on taking efforts in favour of the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children (Senegal);
“Continue working on children’s rights taking into account its international obligations on this area (Nicaragua)”
Session 065 (2014)
(31 January 2014, CRC/C/RUS/CO/4-5 Advance Unedited Version, Concluding observations on fourth/fifth state party report, paras. 32 and 33)
"The Committee notes that corporal punishment is unlawful as a sentence for crime and is considered unlawful in schools and penal institutions, but regrets that it is not explicitly prohibited in those settings. The Committee is also concerned that corporal punishment remains lawful in the home and in alternative care settings.
"The Committee draws the attention of the State party to its General Comment No 8 (2008) on the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment and urges the State party to legally prohibit the use of all forms of corporal punishment in all settings, in particular in the home and alternative care institutions and provide for enforcement mechanisms under its legislation, including appropriate sanctions in cases of violation. It further recommends that the State party strengthen and expand awareness-raising and education programmes and campaigns, in order to promote positive, non-violent and participatory forms of child rearing and discipline."
Read more from Session 065 (2014)
Prevalence/attitudinal research for Russian Federation in the last 10 years
A Human Rights Watch report based on visits to 10 orphanages and more than 200 interviews, including with children and young people with disabilities currently and formerly living in institutions, documented severe violent punishment of children by staff. Punishments included beating children; pouring cold water over children’s heads; the use of physical restraints, including binding children to cribs or wheelchairs; the frequent use of sedatives to control children; forced psychiatric hospitalization as punishment; forced isolation; denial of contact with family members; threats of death, beatings, or psychiatric hospitalization; insults; and humiliation.
(Human Rights Watch (2014), Abandoned by the State: Violence, Neglect, and Isolation for Children with Disabilities in Russian Orphanages, NY: Human Rights Watch)
In a poll of 1,600 people in 138 areas, conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, 27% approved of flogging as a sentence for crime.
(Reported in The Voice of Russia, 28 September 2012)
[1] 10 November 2010, Letter to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Mr Thomas Hammarberg
[2] Latham & Watkins (UK) in correspondence with the Global Initiative, 18 May 2015
[3] 22 August 2014, CEDAW/C/RUS/8, Eighth state party report, para. 105
[4] 28 September 2017, E/C.12/2017/SR.60, Summary records of 60th meeting, para. 31
[5] The draft law No. 545442-6 “On introducing the amendments to the article 20.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation (regarding amendments of the disposition of article 20.1 of the Code and harsher punishment for the violations established by this article)”
[6] The draft law No. 665512-6 “On introducing the amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (regarding establishing the higher criminal responsibility for the crimes, envisaged by articles 115-117 of the CC RF, committed against relatives or former relatives)”
[7] See https://meduza.io/en/news/2016/06/28/russian-senator-says-special-criminal-punishment-for-domestic-violence-is-anti-family, accessed 13 January 2017; Federal law 323-FZ of 7 March 2016, http://kremlin.ru/acts/bank/41057/page/1
[8] See https://www.ft.com/content/e523d036-e482-11e6-9645-c9357a75844a, accessed 31 January 2017
[9] 3 March 2009, A/HRC/11/19, Report of the working group, paras. 85(15), 85(17), 85(19), 85(33) and 85(39)
[10] 8 July 2013, A/HRC/24/14, Report of the working group, paras. 140(31), 140(43), 140(44) and 140(46)
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27,684,000 (UNICEF, 2015)