A/HRC/11/19* Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fourth session from 2 to 13 February 2009. The review of the Russian Federation was held at the 5th meeting on 4 February 2009. The delegation of the Russian Federation was headed by H.E. Mr. Alexander V. Konovalov, Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation. At its meeting held on 6 February 2009, the Working Group adopted the present report on the Russian Federation. 2. On 8 September 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Russian Federation: Bahrain, Chile and Ghana. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of the Russian Federation: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/RUS/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/RUS/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR, in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/4/RUS/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Czech Republic, Georgia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, Netherlands, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to the Russian Federation through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. At the 5th meeting, on 4 February 2009, Mr. Konovalov, the Minister of Justice, presented the national report. He noted that Russian Federation continues to consider the UPR as the most important instrument of international control in the field of human rights. Russian Federation is committed to fundamental values such as freedom, justice, life, prosperity and dignity of a person, family traditions, political equality, integrity and effectiveness of judicial system, social guarantees, eradication of poverty and corruption and it is also committed to its international obligations in the area of human rights. 6. Russian Federation noted that international instruments, including those in the field of human rights, constitute an integral part of its legal system and applied directly and have supremacy over its national legislation. Visits by United Nations Special Procedures representatives have been taking place on a constant basis. In order to ensure guarantees of rights and freedoms the Ombudsman institution was established and effectively functioning and as a result it was granted status A in January 2009. 7. Russian Federation underlined that in the last decade it has undertaken a unique transition from a totalitarian regime to a democratic state. Whilst the State has essentially set up a democratic society now, unfortunately it continues to suffer from the consequences of both totalitarianism and also painful transition to a democratic society. In this connection GE.09-16259 3