MOSCOW. May 15. /TASS/. Russian human rights ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova received nearly 1,500 claims from 57 countries about violations of the rights of Russian nationals in 2022, according to a report on her office’s activities in 2022 that was released on Monday.
"The number of requests for the protection of the rights of Russian citizens abroad has increased. As many as 1,459 such complaints were received in 2022, with complaints linked with the special military operation not counted, which was more than in previous years (996 in 2020, and 1,035 in 2021). Complaints about infringement upon the rights and legal interests of Russian nationals were received from 57 countries," the document says.
According to the report, the majority of the complaints came from Ukraine, a threefold increase over 2021. "People complained about discrimination, asked to help restore their property rights, settle various social disputes (payment of benefits, pensions, etc.), defend the rights of those detained and convicted and facilitate their extradition to Russia, and requested assistance during administrative and civil litigation," it reads.
The ombudsperson’s office helped Russian compatriots return to Russia. It also helped organize checks of incarceration conditions. The ombudsperson played a role in the release of Russian nationals Oleg Nikitin, Konstantin Yakovenko, and Viktor Bout, who "had been kept in American prisons groundlessly and illegally" for a long time.