| Watchdog Calls On EU To
Press Russia On Human Rights 20 May 2004 -- The Human Rights Watch group is urging the European Union to use an upcoming summit with Russia to raise concerns about the country's human rights record. In a new statement, Human Rights Watch describes Russia's rights record as "steadily worsening." The New York-based group accused President Vladimir Putin's government of persistently undermining the political freedoms of Russians, pursuing politically motivated prosecutions, increasingly repressing the media, and continuing what it called the "brutal" operation in Chechnya. Top EU leaders including Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland, the EU's current president, and European Commission head Romano Prodi are set to arrive in Moscow to participate in the summit opening on 21 May. (AFP/hrw.org/ITAR-TASS) Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty © 2004 RFE/RL eng.kavkaz.memo.ru Caucasian Knot 20/5/2004 Azerbaijan rights activists deliver Chechen refugees' complaints to PACE rapporteur Members of the Federation of Human Rights Organizations of Azerbaijan met with the delegation of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Andreas Gross and David Cupina, on May 19. The human rights activists informed the guests from Strasbourg about the situation with the honoring of commitments to the Council of Europe by Azerbaijan, in particular about the judicial system reform, creation of public television, improvement of election legislation, and other issues. They also delivered to the PACE delegates various documents prepared by the Federation and addressed to Mr Gross by convicts and members of their families. Taking into account that Andreas Gross is a PACE rapporteur not only on Azerbaijan but on Chechnya too, director of the Azerbaijan Human Rights Center Eldar Zeinalov handed over to him complaints received by the Center from Chechen refuges in Azerbaijan. Source: REGNUM News Agency eng.kavkaz.memo.ru Caucasian Knot 21/5/2004 Migration service denies chemical contamination of refugee center Ingush migration service officials have denied information that the premises of the temporary accommodation center for refugees Oskanovskiye Garages in the village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya are contaminated with chemicals. "It is true that we plan to settle some displaced persons from the Satsita camp, which is being liquidated, in the refugee center on the territory of the so called Oskanovskiye garages," Ali Parov, head of the Sunzha district migration department, said to the Caucasian Knot correspondent. "Numerous examinations and commissions sent by republican sanitation and epidemiological services haven't revealed any signs of chemicals. The center's rooms have been found to be suitable for habitation." Over 20 families from the Satsita camp have already settled down on the territory of this refugee center, another 25 are preparing to move there, said warden of the Satsita camp Khasan Tumgoyev. Author: Malika Suleymanova Source: Own correspondent
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