Lukin lists Russian rights violations

MOSCOW, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The number of rights violations in Russia has not declined this year, human rights commissioner Vladimir Lukin said Friday.

"Problems exist and their number is not shrinking," Lukin told a news conference at the Izvestia media center, Interfax reported.

More than 35 percent of Russians live below the poverty line, he said. Housing and utility reforms that "conflict with the living standards of the population" are not making things better, he said.

Lukin said 60 million people live in unfavorable environmental conditions in Russia. The number of street children is growing by 100,000 to 130,000 every year and has reached about 1 million, he said.

Speaking about the work conducted by his office, Lukin said the rights of 122,000 people in 915 cases -- 38 of them collective -- were restored. More than 70,000 officials were held responsible for offenses against human rights.

On the whole, complaints sharply increased this year over the replacement of social benefits with monetary payments Lukin said. The number of letters from servicemen and their families about delays in the payment of hazardous duty pay also grew, he said.