Russia's courts - some justice better than no justice at all

[Peter Morley (Russia Profile Discussion Group)]

Two high-profile court cases wrapped up Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, producing one verdict that was encouraging and one less so. To start with the good news - Oleg Shcherbinsky has had his conviction quashed in the case of the car crash that killed Altai Governor Mikhail Yevdokimov. Shcherbinsky was handed a four-year sentence after being found at fault for the crash. The original verdict said Yevdokimov's driver had been fulfilling the governor's orders, and therefore was allowed to break normal traffic regulations, in this case by driving in the wrong lane at over 100 miles an hour. Protests in recent days across Siberia brought widespread public attention to the case, and a petition of 27,000 signatures supporting Shcherbinsky was handed to the court today.

The other case was a familiarly depressing verdict of "hooliganism", in this case handed down to those accused of assault in the murder of a 9-year-old Tajik girl in St. Petersburg last year. Worse, the one defendent on trial for her murder has been cleared. Prosecutors have apparently said they will appeal. The murder shocked Russia last year, and it seemed obvious to many that it was a racially motivated attack.

A step forward for Russia's judicial system, then? And a step forward for those looking for popular engagement, as popular mobilization not only sees justice done, but importantly means justice is seen to be done - a vital thing for building faith in the country's legal system and strengthening rule of law.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060323/44699243.html

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060322/44684588.html

[paladin]

unfortunately, the law of the land is one of those subjects where you
are damned if you do and damned if you don't. it is often said by those
moderates amongst us that "less is better". in regards to justice, one
look at the united states where what 90 to 95% of the world's
litigation happens, how much of the promised justice is actually
delivered? in this case, pardon the pun, less unfairness is better, if
not the best russia should set its sights on.