“OVD-Info” demanded a ban on “carousel” arrests

The human rights project “OVD-Info” launched a petition calling for a ban on “carousel” arrests against the backdrop of the fact that in St. Petersburg, members of the street group “Stoptime” were placed under administrative arrest several times in a row.

“Carousel” refers to several administrative arrests of one person in a row. The organization said that such arrests violate international law and “give the security forces a free hand.”

“This petition is a demand for authorities and officials to use real powers and resources to counter such abuses,” said OVD-Info.

Repeated successive administrative arrests are a pseudo-legal tool used by law enforcement officials to place the victim of persecution in conditions of isolation and severe psychological pressure.

• In recent years, Russia has repeatedly resorted to so-called carousel arrests before opening a criminal case under a serious crime. According to OVD-Info, at least 58 such cases have occurred since 2011.
• Members of the street group “Stoptime” from St. Petersburg have been kept under administrative arrest since October. The band's vocalist Naoko (Diana Loginova) and guitarist Alexander Orlov were placed under arrest for the third time on November 11.