Medvedev Proposes Ending Jury Trials for More Crimes
20 Aug 2009
The Moscow Times
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed further restricting the use of jury trials, prompting criticism from legal experts and human rights activists.
Medvedev proposed that cases involving suspects accused of committing crimes as part of a criminal group should not be allowed to be adjudicated by a jury.
According to The Moscow Times, Russian defense lawyer Genri Reznik and Moscow Helsinki Group leader Liudmila Alexeeva both criticized the proposal "as a new attempt to undercut jury trials, arguing that it would further diminish suspects' rights in court".