Russian human rights activist takes prosecutor general to court

Tomorrow the Tverskoi inter-municipal court in Moscow will begin hearings into a complaint lodged by Sergei Kovalev, a State Duma deputy and well known human rights advocate, against prosecutor general Vladimir Ustinov, Prima news agency reports.

It is noteworthy, that on March 22, 2000, the prosecutor general's office refused to initiate legal proceedings against officials in charge of exercises of the Russian federal security service (FSB) that took place in Ryazan on September 22, 1999. It's known that an explosive material was found in one of the residential buildings in Ryazan as a result of the exercises. The incident has given cause to Russian public figures and the mass media to bring serious accusations against the FSB.

Being a member of the public investigative commission for the 1999 terrorist acts, Kovalev has requested the prosecutor general's office to give him a copy of the official ruling, but the prosecutor general's office declined. Having applied to the court, Kovalev pointed out that the prosecutor general's refusal to produce a document upon a State Duma deputy's request is contrary to articles 14 and 17 of the federal law on the status of a State Duma deputy.

[13.01.2003 22:42] The Chechen Times

http://www.chechnya.nl/news.php?id=1304&lang=eng

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