Команда против пыток | |
 | |
| Formation | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit NGO |
| Headquarters | Nizhny Novgorod with representations in Orenburg Oblast, North Caucasus, Krasnodar region and Moscow |
| Location | |
| Fields | Investigation of torture allegations, medical and legal support for torture victims, representation of victims in court |
Key people | Igor Kalyapin, Sergey Babinets |
| Website | pytkam |
Formerly called | Committee Against Torture (Continued in reduced capacity as Committee for the Prevention of Torture) |
The Crew Against Torture (NGO CAT; Russian: Кома́нда прóтив пы́ток, romanized: Komanda protiv pytok, founded as Committee Against Torture, Комитет против пыток, the name was changed in June 2022) is a Russian non-governmental organisation in the field of human rights based in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. CAT provides assistance to victims of torture and conducts independent investigation of torture cases. In addition, CAT publishes reports on systemic problems regarding the ineffectiveness of official investigations and prosecution of torture in Russia.
CAT addresses human rights violations relying mostly upon legal mechanisms available at the national level. In case the national mechanisms have proven ineffective, CAT helps victims to apply to the international human rights bodies (mainly, to the European Court of Human Rights) and represents them in proceedings.
CAT promotes human rights protection in various regions of Russia. As of 2022, CAT operates in five regions: Nizhny Novgorod region, Orenburg region, the North Caucasus, Moscow and Krasnodar region.[1] One of the most notable CAT’s cases is the case of Aleksey Mikheyev, "the first significant victory against torture practices in Russian police".
CAT received numerous awards for its work. In 2018, Olga Sadovskaya, CAT’s vice-chair and human rights activist, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
CAT received several presidential grants and funding from the European Commission of Human Rights.
In 2015, Russian Federation officially designated CAT as a foreign agent.
- ^ "What we do". Crew against torture. Retrieved 2022-07-21.