The working group (Coalition) of human rights NGOs for cooperation with the internal affairs bodies and promotion of the police reform was created in autumn of 2008. It was formed by organizations dealing with the issues on human rights observance by law enforcement bodies. Human rights NGOs included in the Working group on a regular basis provide legal, informative and expert support of the police reform strategy.

During the event prepared by the Working group of human rights NGOs and taking place under the auspices of the RF Public Chamber and the Council for Human Rights and Civil Society Development under the RF President there will be several reports made by experts of the Working group, Public Chamber members, State Duma deputies, foreign experts working with problems of law enforcement bodies, former heads of law enforcement bodies from the countries of Eastern Europe.
The following members of the Working group of human rights NGOs and foreign experts take part in the discussion:

1. Valentin Gefter, director of the Human Rights Institute, member of the Council for Human Rights and Civil Society Development under the RF President (Moscow)

2. Ivanka Ivanova, director of the human rights programme of the Open Society Institute – Sofia (Bulgaria)

3. Anatoliy Kucherena, chairman of the Public Chamber Commission for public control over the activity  and reform of law enforcement bodies and the judicial system (Moscow)

4. Asmik Novikova, sociologist of the Public Verdict Foundation  (Moscow)

5. Anneke Osse, head of the programme “Police and human rights” in Amnesty International Netherlands, author of “Understanding policing. A resource for human rights activists” (Netherlands)

6. Jan Ruml, former first deputy minister in Czechoslovakia (1990-1992), Czech Interior Minister (1992-1996), vice-speaker of the Czech Republic Senate (2000-2004), board chairman of the Respect Institute (Czech Republic).

7. Andrey Suslov, director of the Center for Civil Education and Human Rights, PhD in history, professor (Perm)

8. Natalia Taubina, director of the Public Verdict Foundation (Moscow)

9. Slawomir Tsibulski, retired police colonel, trainer of the Helsinki Human Rights Foundation (Poland)

10. Pavel Chikov, chairman of the AGORA Interregional Human Rights Association, PhD in law, assistant professor (Kazan)

Accreditation for journalists, 17 March (from 10.00 till 18.00), phone numbers:
8 (495) 917 23 89; 8 (495) 916 11 99