CAT/C/70/D/915/2019 underscores irrelevant facts and minimizes the gravity of the human rights situation in the Russian Federation. The complainant finds it outrageous that, even though the State party’s population has been exposed to persecution in the Russian Federation, including the death and subjection to inhuman and degrading treatment of thousands of Georgian nationals in 2006, followed by the killings of hundreds of civilians and the burning of their dwellings in 2008, the State party praises the Russian authorities and the human rights situation in the Russian Federation. 6.5 The complainant asserts that, in assessing whether there are substantial grounds for believing that a person would face a real risk of a violation of article 3 of the Convention upon extradition, the Committee must take into account the human rights situation in the receiving State as a whole. 19 Where sources describe a general situation, the specific allegations in a particular case require corroboration by other evidence. 20 The complainant reiterates that his extradition would result in such a risk, given the general human rights situation in the Russian Federation and the extremely poor detention conditions there. He submits that the Georgian authorities have failed to assess this risk. 6.6 The complainant refers to reports according to which the human rights situation in the Russian Federation is deteriorating, the Government of the Russian Federation has tightened control over free expression and assembly and local security and police officers have subjected prisoners to harsh and life-threatening detention conditions, enforced disappearances, abuse and torture, including during the transport of prisoners, with the tacit blessing of the central Government.21 In July 2018, a video was published of penitentiary staff in Yaroslavl viciously beating a prisoner.22 In August 2018, data were published on more than 50 other torture cases, whose alleged perpetrators included police, investigators, security agents and penitentiary officials. 23 The role and effectiveness of the public oversight commissions, which are independent mechanisms for monitoring places of detention, was eroded through underfunding, reductions in membership and arbitrary denials of access to penitentiary facilities. 24 Thus, given the alarming structural deficiencies in the Russian penitentiary system, including torture and ill-treatment, there are sufficient grounds to believe that the complainant would be at risk of torture upon extradition. 6.7 Regarding the assurances given by the Russian authorities, domestic laws and accession to human rights treaties are not enough to ensure adequate protection against a risk of ill-treatment, given reliable reports of practices in prisons resorted to or tolerated by the Russian authorities that contravene the Convention. Moreover, the assurance that the complainant will not be subjected to torture is not specific, as it does not state in which prison he would be accommodated. 6.8 The complainant reiterates the facts as presented by him (see para. 2.1) and his claims (see paras. 3.4–3.5) and adds a written statement dated 17 August 2017 from the Chairperson of the Public Observance Committee of Moscow on the activities and conviction of the complainant in the Russian Federation. He submits that, according to the statement, the Prosecutor of Obninsk had declared that there were no concerns or questions about the complainant, but that he had to assist the Federal Security Service in disclosing the bribetaking by the Deputy Prosecutor of Obninsk. Likewise, the complainant had testified in court that Federal Security Service officers had confirmed that there were no allegations against him. 19 20 21 22 23 24 General comment No. 4 (2017), para. 46; Uttam Mondal v. Sweden (CAT/C/46/D/338/2008), para. 7.4. European Court of Human Rights, Mamatkulov and Askarov v. Turkey, para. 73. Human Rights Watch, “Russia”; Human Rights Watch, “Russia: bleak year for human rights”, 17 January 2019; Amnesty International, “Russian Federation”; Amnesty International, “Russian Federation 2017/2018”; United States of America Department of State, “Russia 2018 human rights report”. Human Rights Watch, “Russia: events of 2018”. Available at www.hrw.org/worldreport/2019/country-chapters/russia. Ibid. Ibid. 7