No list of amnesties for all criminal offences granted by the authorities, including the terms of these amnesties, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, the following information may be of interest.

During a news conference in October 2000, Vladimir Kolesnikov, an adviser to the Russian Prosecutor-General, reported the release of over 140,000 prisoners under an amnesty voted by the Duma on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War (ITAR-TASS 9 Oct. 2000). The total number of released prisoners included 8,400 tuberculosis-infected inmates, 16,200 individuals whose terms of imprisonment were reduced and over 80,000 interrupted criminal cases (ibid.). According to the adviser, additional releases were expected to take place (ibid.). According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and The Russia Journal, citing Reuters, approximately 12,500 convicts were pardoned or reprieved in 2000 on President Putin's orders (23 Feb. 2001; 24 Feb.-2 Mar. 2001).

Sources also make reference to three high-profile cases of convicted individuals who were pardoned by President Putin or under an amnesty law.

In December 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned US businessman Edmund Pope who had been found guilty of spying and sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Moscow City Court on 6 December 2000 (Interfax 14 Dec. 2000). Justifying his decision, the Russian President stated that he had considered humanitarian grounds, the convict's health and petition as well as the relations between Russia and the United States (ibid.; The Russia Journal 16 Dec. 2000).

In a 4 June 2001 dispatch, Agence France Presse refers to an amnesty granted by the government to prisoners who had served a third of their term. Sentenced to a three-year term of imprisonment for passing military secrets to Japanese journalists in July 1999, Grigory Pasko, a Russian journalist working for the newspaper of the Russian Pacific Fleet was released in November 2000 under this amnesty (ibid.).

Andrei Babitsky, a journalist with Radio Svoboda, the Russian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was sentenced to a 8,350 ruble fine in October 2000 for having a counterfeited passport (AFP 6 Oct. 2000; IFEX 14 Dec. 2000). The journalist was immediately pardoned under an amnesty law on minor misdemeanours voted by the Russian lower chamber (Duma) earlier in 2000 (AFP 6 Oct. 2000). However, according to International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) and Reporters sans frontières, Andrei Babitsky refused to avail himself of the amnesty (14 Dec. 2000).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 4 June 2001. "Trial of Russian Journalist Accused of Spying Adjourned Again." (NEXIS)

_____. 6 October 2000. Oleg Vatoutine. "Le journaliste russe Andreï Babitski reconnu coupable mais amnistié (PAPIER JOURNÉE)." (topic@alc1.par.afp.com)

Interfax [Moscow, in English]. 14 December 2000. "Putin Pardons Edmond Pope." (FBIS-SOV-2000-1214 14 Dec. 2000/WNC)

International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Clearing House [Toronto]/Reporters sans frontières [Paris]. 14 December 2000. "Alert Update: Journalist Andrei Babitsky Sentenced on Appeal." http://www.ifex.org/ [Accessed 15 Dec. 2000]

ITAR-TASS [Moscow, in English]. 9 October 2000. Sergei Bodanov. "Russia Amnesties Over 140,000 Prisoners for Second World War Victory." (FBIS-SOV-2000-1009 9 Oct. 2000/WNC)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) [Prague]. 23 February 2001. Sophie Lambroschini. "Russia: Pardon System Plays Mercy Role Amid a Cruel Society." http://www.rferl.org/nca/features/2001/02/23022001115056.asp [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

The Russia Journal [Moscow]. 24 February-2 March 2001. "Putin Ups Pardon Pace." http://www.russiajournal.com/weekly/article.shtml?ad=4316 [Accessed 12 Apr. 2002]

_____. 16 December 2000. Melissa Eddy. "Pope Reaches 'Real World'." http://www.russiajournal.com/weekly/article.shtml?ad=4056 [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

IRB Databases

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Freedom House

Human Rights Watch

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Union of Councils for Soviet Jews (UCSJ)

US Department of State. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (2000-2001)

Search engines including:

Aport.ru (in Russian)

Fast Search

Google

Rambler (in Russian)