On 21 May 2012, the CPT's representatives met, in Moscow, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin, together with the Heads of the Investigation Departments of the Chechen Republic and the Republics of Dagestan and North Ossetia-Alania. In the course of the meeting, the recent decision to set up a specialised unit to investigate complaints of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials was in particular discussed; this decision was welcomed by the CPT’s representatives as an important step towards combating impunity.

On 4 June 2012, also in Moscow, a meeting was held with Alexandr Gorovoy, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. The following day, on 5 June 2012, the CPT’s President met in Saint Petersburg with the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, Alexandr Konovalov.

These meetings were frank, detailed and constructive, and all participants expressed the wish to reinforce co-operation on matters falling within the CPT’s mandate.