Underdevelopment of basic democratic institutions...

Geoffrey Harris, head of the Human Rights Unit of the European Parliament, who attended the conference, said Russia"s main problem is the violation of the legal system. He called for more humane conditions in prisons.

He also said that the EU condemns the arrests of protesters during anti-government demonstrations, saying the right to freedom of assembly and speech could not flourish without recognition of the role of opposition.

Harris also proposed to set up an independent Russia-EU forum to deal with the development of civil society in Russia.

MOSCOW, March 23 (RIA Novosti)