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FSB Director Patrushev Advocates Re-Introducing Institution of Informers in Russia Created: 06.10.2004 15:39 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 16:34 MSK, MosNews Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Nikolai Patrushev, said the institution of informers is a crucial point in the fight against terrorism. In an interview to NTV television channel, he said that "all of society should have an interest in getting rid of terrorism, and anyone who receives information about it should oppose terrorism. Not everyone can do things in reality, but he can certainly pass on information to security or law-enforcement agencies. And if this person does this all the time, he does it for society, and I do not think the attitude to him should be any different." Patrushev added that "all special services use informers in their work." The FSB head said that for the fight to be effective, it is necessary to ensure that not only the special services are involved, but also the executive authorities, the courts and the media. "This year alone we have prevented over 200 terrorist acts which would have evoked a significant response in our society. According to statistics, over 500 terrorist acts have been prevented this year all in all. This is substantial work, but we say, of course, that we are not doing enough to prevent terrorist acts. And these terrorist acts clearly show this," Patrushev said. 2 Russian HR Activists Nominated for Europe's Top Award Created: 06.10.2004 10:30 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 10:31 MSK, MosNews Two Russian rights activists — Natalya Estemirova, 40, a journalist and teacher, and Sergey Kovalev, president of Russia's Human Rights Institute — are nominees for the European Parliament's top human rights award, parliament officials said on Tuesday. Both have been actively campaigning against use of force in Chechnya. Natalya Estemirova, 40, a journalist and teacher, and Sergey Kovalev, president of Russia's Human Rights Institute, are on a single ticket one of three nominations for the 2004 Sakharov Prize for Freedom on Thought. The move follows the European Parliament's harsh criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin's military campaign in Chechnya and the human rights abuses it says have been committed there. Some Western officials and Russian liberals have accused Putin of rolling back democracy in Russia following last month's school siege by Chechen rebels where more than 300 people died, half of them children. The two activists in the running for the Sakharov prize want Putin to open peace talks with Chechen separatists and end the military offensive. EU lawmakers sitting on the assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee also placed the Belarussian Association of Journalists and kidnapped Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt on the prize shortlist. The Belarussian journalists body was nominated for fighting for media freedom in the former Soviet republic. President Alexander Lukashenko is accused in the West of cracking down on his liberal opponents and stifling independent media. The heads of the European Parliament's political groups will decide on the winner but no date has yet been set for the meeting. The prize will be awarded during the assembly's plenary session in Strasbourg, France in December. The Sakharov award, named after the former Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, is presented annually to someone the parliament views as having contributed significantly to promoting human rights. Previous recipients include the United Nations and its Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova and Turkish Kurd human rights activist Leyla Zana. Oct 7 2004 3:11PM Number of young women abducted in Chechnya increases GROZNY. Oct 7 (Interfax) - A young woman was recently abducted in the Vedeno district of Chechnya, a source in the district administration told Interfax on Thursday. A group of armed men wearing camouflage uniforms and masks broke into the house of Birlant Akhyadova, 22, and took her away at gunpoint, the source said. Akhyadov's family tried to stop the abductors but their attempts were unsuccessful. An investigation into the matter began immediately but the abductors have not been identified yet, the source said. Several young women have been abducted in Chechnya over the past few months, a source in the Chechen Interior Ministry told Interfax. The reasons for the abductions are unknown. Oct 6 2004 3:00PM PACE commission tentatively approves draft resolution on Chechnya STRASBOURG. Oct 6 (Interfax) - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's Commission for Political Affairs has tentatively approved a draft resolution on the political situation in Chechnya. The document, which will be presented by commission rapporteur Andreas Gross at a PACE session on Thursday, says that the absence of the supremacy of the law is hampering steps aimed at developing the republic's humane democratic society. PACE denounces the continuing violence in Chechnya, the document says. At the same time, the draft resolution sharply condemns the barbaric terrorist attack in the North Ossetian town of Beslan and other terrorist attacks perpetrated by guerrillas. The document urges Alu Alkhanov, who was sworn in as president of Chechnya on October 5, to give a public assessment of the conflict and name people who may be influencing the situation: terrorists, field commanders, leaders of major organized criminal groups, corrupt and violence-prone security officials, as well as clan heads, religious leaders and major political figures. The commission's opinion is that political and military chiefs, religious leaders and clan heads need to work out common approaches to either helping those who are extending the conflict in Chechnya return to peaceful life or developing an effective strategy of countering those who violate the law. The draft resolution complains that the August 29 presidential elections in Chechnya did not meet the main requirements of a democratic election. The Council of Europe, however, should be ready to provide the Chechen president and his government with comprehensive assistance in observing human rights and ensuring democracy and the supremacy of law, it says. PACE Approves Resolution on Human Rights in Chechnya, Russia Unhappy Created: 07.10.2004 16:20 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 17:30 MSK, MosNews The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) approved a resolution that criticizes the human rights situation in Chechnya at a plenary meeting on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reports. The document on Russia's policies in the volatile region was not welcomed by the Russian delegation and its members issued a dissenting statement which claimed the resolution is subjective. The resolution was based on a report given by Rudolph Bindig (Germany). 96 members of PACE voted for the document, 75 members (including those of the Russian delegation) voted against, and 18 members abstained. The resolution states that "the way the constitutional referendum in March 2003 and the presidential elections were carried out in Chechnya showed new kinds of violations of the European Convention on Human Rights. These violations concern the right to free and fair elections and the right to freedom of _expression." Speaking from the PACE rostrum, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov confirmed the republic's policy of stable development and stepping up the fight for law and order. However, rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov's spokesman Akhmed Zakayev said that Alkhanov is not an independent figure and is not capable of making any decision not already agreed with the Kremlin. The Russian delegation declared a dissenting opinion that the document is subjective and does not reflect the positive changes that are happening in Chechnya. The chairman of the Duma international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev said that the Russian delegation had drawn up a series of amendments to the report. Provisional edition The political situation in the Chechen Republic: measures to increase democratic stability in accordance with Council of Europe standards Resolution 1402 (2004)[1] 1. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe reaffirms its commitment to further human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the ChechenRepublic, as an integral part of the Russian Federation, and deplores the grave situation the people of Chechnya still have to live in. The situation in the Chechen Republic is of great concern to the common values which all member states of the Council of Europe have committed themselves to and thus requires close attention by the authorities of the Russian Federation as well as assistance by the relevant Council of Europe bodies. 2. The Assembly appreciates the intention of the Chechen authorities to establish the post of Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) in the Chechen Republic aimed at further promotion of human rights and the rule of law. 3. The Assembly strongly condemns the gross violence which persists in Chechnya and has sadly become the most significant formative factor for a whole generation of people in Chechnya. The continued death toll and human suffering caused by this conflict call for a concerted action in Chechnya by the local, regional and federal authorities as well as assistance by the international community of democratic nations, in particular the member states of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe and its member states must not remain inactive when people are dying every day in Chechnya and neighbouring Republics through terrorist attacks, snipers, land mines, abuse of force by security services and acts of organised crime. 4. The Assembly also strongly condemns the assassination of the former officially elected President of the Chechen Republic, Mr Akhmad Kadyrov. 5. The Assembly furthermore condemns the spill over of terrorist action towards other federal entities of the Russian Federation neighbouring the Chechen Republic. It resolutely condemns the barbaric terrorist act in Beslan (North Ossetia) that should be considered as a gross crime against humanity. The Assembly welcomes the fact that the hostage-taking at the school in Beslan is being investigated by the competent Russian authorities, and that a special parliamentary Commission set up by the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is carrying out its own investigation of this terrorist act, the results of which must be made public. 6. Considering the repeated statements by Chechen separatist leaders on their disassociation with the recent terrorist acts in the Russian Federation, the Assembly, however, questions their sincerity, especially after Maskhadov’s threats to move from acts of sabotage to large-scale military operations, as was broadcast this June by Radio Liberty. 7. The Assembly is concerned that the recent wave of terrorist attacks will lead to a further escalation of violence and a deterioration of the human rights situation in the North Caucasus region. It appeals to all authorities involved not to react to the provocation in kind but to act with caution and consideration and according to the principles of proportionality and the rule of law. 8. The Assembly joins the statement on the terrorist attack in Beslan and the need to strengthen international co-operation against terrorism endorsed by the Standing Committee meeting in Oslo on 7 September 2004. In this respect, it calls for an urgent start on the elaboration of a comprehensive Council of Europe Convention on terrorism. 9. The absence of the rule of law in Chechnya prevents the development of a humane and democratic society. Democratic institutions will remain hollow and fragile where people live in fear and poverty, organised crime and warlords fighting for quick profits and daily terror costing the lives of many. It should, therefore, be the priority for the political leadership in Chechnya to ensure that the law is enforced and applied throughout the ChechenRepublic equally to everybody. 10. For this purpose, the newly elected President of the Chechen Republic should establish publicly a comprehensive conflict assessment indicating the various actors which may have influence regarding the conflict: terrorists, warlords, major actors of organised crime and corrupt and grossly violent members of the security forces as well as clan, religious and political leaders. Once such a conflict map has been established, political, military, religious and clan leaders should seek to define common approaches on how to either re-integrate into society those who perpetuate the conflict in Chechnya or to develop effective strategies on combating those violations of the law. 11. The Assembly emphasises the central role of the media and the importance of guaranteeing freedom of speech in regions of conflict. Transparency may help prevent human rights violations and media may provide a forum for indirect dialogue over ways to resolve a conflict. 12. The amount of weapons and small arms in Chechnya is a source of great concern for the Assembly. This phenomenon facilitates and even causes violence in Chechnya on a daily basis. Law enforcement authorities in the Chechen Republic should therefore set up programmes for collecting weapons among the population and the Russian military should implement effective procedures to prevent the illegal transfer of arms and weapons from the military and any other sources to Chechen fighters. 13. The democratic participation of the people in Chechnya is a precondition for the development of democratic stability in the Republic. Therefore, local, regional and federal authorities should set up programmes for good governance and democratic citizenship in the Chechen Republic. For this purpose, systems of checks and balances on the power of the executive should be established which provide effective and accessible recourse against abuses of power by any public authority in Chechnya. The current political climate in the ChechenRepublic should be improved by greater openness, accountability and efficiency of the political institutions, in order to strengthen the confidence of the public in these institutions. 14. The Assembly notes that the Constitution of the Chechen Republic of 2003 is a step towards a political settlement and the consolidation of society.  It provides a legal framework for an efficient system of public administration which includes parliament and the judicial branch. 15. The Assembly pays tribute to the tireless and courageous efforts of civil society organisations and human rights activists working for the rule of law and peace in the Chechen  Republic, for instance the organisations Memorial, Mothers in Chechnya for Peace, the Moscow Helsinki Group and others. All public authorities are called upon to support their work, in particular the State Duma of Russia as well the regional Duma of Chechnya to be elected in a few months. 16. Whilst regretting the circumstances of the presidential elections in the Chechen Republic of 29 August 2004, which did not fulfil basic requirements for democratic elections, the Assembly considers that the Council of Europe should nevertheless be ready to assist the Chechen President and his government in their efforts to strengthen human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The most important immediate challenge for the new government will be the task of establishing popular support, in particular among those parts of the population which felt alienated. The Assembly reaffirms its belief that public confidence and support can only be established by a government which respects human rights, democracy and the rule of law. 17. The Assembly hopes that the parliamentary elections in the Chechen Republic planned for early 2005 will provide the necessary legitimacy. But it is convinced that if these elections are to provide such legitimacy, it will be essential to significantly improve the human rights and security situation. All authorities involved in the preparation and organisation of these elections should respect the standards on democratic elections commonly recognised by all member states of the Council of Europe. All political forces in Chechnya should solicit their popular support by participating in these elections and all citizens of Chechnya should be encouraged to express their political choice by voting. 18. There is an alarming and widespread speculation about considerable levels of corruption and misappropriation of public funds in the Chechen Republic. Where such criminal behaviour has reached a high level of organisation and intensity, criminal structures will become a threat to the authority of state organs and the state as such. The competent authorities should, therefore, step up their efforts in fighting corruption and organised crime. They should be guided by the respective Council of Europe Conventions in this field. 19. The Assembly calls on the Russian Federation to:     i. accede to the Council of Europe’s Agreement establishing the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) as a sign of its political determination to fight corruption and organised crime;     ii. recognise and strengthen the use of the Chechen language in public life in Chechnya. 20. The Assembly urges the Russian government to ensure that anti-terrorism measures taken or planned are in conformity with standards of human rights and humanitarian law, including the European Convention on Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions and the Council of Europe Guidelines on Human Rights and the Fight against Terrorism. 21. The Assembly calls on the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to analyse the effectiveness of the existing assistance and co-operation programme with the Russian Federation concerning the Chechen Republic and to strengthen the work of the operational Directorates General of the Council of Europe with regard to Chechnya. 22. The Assembly calls on the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to co-operate closely with the human rights institutions and non-governmental organisations active in the ChechenRepublic. 23. The Assembly calls on the UN, the OSCE and the European Union to closely follow the political and human rights situation in the Chechen Republic. The Assembly furthermore calls on the European Union to co-operate with the Council of Europe in fostering democracy and the rule of law in Chechnya, for instance through specific joint programmes of action. 24. The Assembly decides to remain seized of this issue and to follow-up the progress in the Chechen Republic regarding human rights, democracy and the rule of law. For this purpose, the Assembly instructs its Political Affairs Committee to establish a Round Table for the organisation of an exchange of view with political parties and politicians from the Chechen Republic and the federal authorities of Russia, at the same time, realising that persons who refuse to recognise the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and who declare terrorism a method to achieve goals, cannot be participants in such an exchange of views. 25. The Assembly suggests that other proposals to promote a resolution of the conflict should be examined as well, for instance through a concerted effort by the international community to support reconstruction in regions suffering from armed conflict in the Caucasus. ------------------- [1] Assembly debate on 7 October 2004 (30th Sitting) (see Doc.10276, report of the Political Affairs Committee, rapporteur: Mr Gross). Text adopted by the Assembly on 7 October 2004 (30th Sitting). http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/AdoptedText/ta04/ERES1402.htm Chechenpress Statement by Ahmed Zakayev Today PACE will listen to representatives of the new Russia - a police state which under the guise of "fighting terrorism" commits genocide and war crimes and deprives its own people of fundamental rights and freedoms. Vladimir Putin attempts to impose on Europe his understanding of the war on terror, which means murder of women and children, ethnic cleansing, forged elections, suppression of the freedom of the word, racial discrimination,smashing of democratic institutions and the destruction of civil society. The appearance of Alu Alhanov on the PACE tribune is significant - a Chechen quisling who personally committed kidnappings, torture and murder of absolutely innocent people. But General Alhanov isn't the face of Chechnya, he is the face of the new Russia. The Chechen people has nothing to do with him. His arrival in Strasbourg is a common disgrace for Russia and Europe. The Chechens don't have illusions about the fact that the democratic governments have sacrificed our freedom, life and dignity to a nationalist dictatorship. The appeasement of Putin is a joint victory of tyranny and terrorism over the international community, over the civilized world. By foregoing its own values, Europe made a gigantic step backwards - from the Helsinki Agreements to Munich. To paraphrase Churchill: the policy of appeasement will only bring disgrace to its creators, and increased terror is waiting for them in the future. Because the state terror in Russia is the main reason for the appearance of terrorism in Chechnya and a justification for Islamic extremism in the world. The government of the ChRI categorically condemns terrorism and is prepared to cooperate with the democratic countries in the prosecution of terrorists. We will be able to create order at home, if there is peace. But we cannot fight on two fronts. Therefore, as long as the external world supports Putin, massive violations of human rights and terrorism will unfortunately go hand in hand and compete with each other in cruelty. Ahmed Zakayev, Representative of the President of the ChRI, London, 7 October, 2004. Chechenpress, Department of Government Information, 07.10.04 http://chechenpress.com/news/2004/10/07/09.shtml [Translation by N.S.]