MOSCOW - Two top European human rights bodies expressed concern Monday over the
upcoming constitutional referendum in Chechnya, saying Russian authorities
need to do more to ensure a fair and accurate ballot in the war-ravaged republic.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council
of Europe sent a joint mission to Chechnya to assess conditions ahead of
the March 23 vote, in which Chechens will be asked to vote on a new constitution
subordinate to Russian law.
In a statement, the groups noted the continuing violence in Chechnya and
urged Russian officials to make it easier for thousands of Chechen refugees
living outside the republic to cast ballots.
"Kidnappings, assassinations, and other physical assaults against local government
officials and ordinary citizens continue," the statement said, adding that many
refugees may be "disenfranchised" because they are reluctant to return home to
vote.
The groups also noted the "deep skepticism" among some parts of Chechen society
about the referendum, including doubts about the accuracy of voter lists, which
contain 38,000 more registered voters than during the 2000 Russian presidential
election.
They called on authorities to allow fuller debate about the constitution ahead
of the referendum and establish strict time limits for vote counting to avoid
suspicions of ballot stuffing.
Also Monday, Abdul-Kerim Arsakhanov, the chairman of Chechnya's Central Election
Commission, said preparations for the referendum are "entering a decisive phase,"
and said the vote would be monitored by numerous observers, the Interfax news
agency reported.
Russia has heavily promoted the referendum as a step toward stability and return
to civil society in Chechnya, which has been ravaged by two wars in the last decade.
Security will be tight for the vote amid fears of rebel attacks.