Since its birth in 1991, the Russian Federation has introduced substantial reforms to its legal system. This report charts the history of the justice system, assesses the impact of international human rights instruments on it, and evaluates how legal reforms have been implemented. The report highlights four areas where the law is failing to provide justice: the continued use of the propiska system of registration in Moscow; the impunity enjoyed by state officials under the Law to Combat Terrorism; the institutionalization and neglect of children with mental disability; the violation of human rights of prisoners, particularly those serving life sentences.
