GENEVA, 7 February 2011 – Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights Chief, will conduct a high-level official visit to Moscow and St. Petersburg this month with a view to enhancing cooperation with the Russian Federation in the field of human rights.

Pillay is scheduled to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and a number of ministers, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Minister for Health and Social Development, the Minister for Regional Development, the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor-General, as well as justice officials including the Chairman of the Supreme Court. The visit will begin in Moscow on 13 February and end in St. Petersburg on 19 February 2011.

During her visit, which is taking place at the invitation of the Russian Federation, Pillay plans to discuss a wide range of issues with the authorities. She will also meet the Chairman of the Constitutional Court and the Commissioner for Human Rights.

The High Commissioner will hold meetings with a number of civil society actors and human rights defenders working on a variety of human rights issues, including discrimination, access to justice and the rule of law, women’s rights, migration and the rights of persons with disabilities.

Pillay will also deliver lectures at PFUR and MGIMO University in Moscow and meet deputies of the State Duma. This will be Pillay’s first visit to the Russian Federation as High Commissioner for Human Rights. The previous High Commissioner, Louise Arbour, visited the country twice, in 2005 and 2006.

A press conference is due to be held in Moscow on 17 February 2011 at 17h00 at ITAR-TASS, Tverskoy bulvar, 10-12.

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Moscow: Dirk Hebecker on +7 965 216 6091 or dhebecker@ohchr.ru

In Geneva: Ravina Shamdasani on +41 22 917 9310 or rshamdasani@ohchr.org

Learn more about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

For more information on the OHCHR mandate and work.

OHCHR Country Page on the Russian Federation.