| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Public Statement AI Index: EUR 46/006/2006 (Public) News Service No: 031 3 February 2006 Russian Federation: Amnesty International calls for guilty verdict against Stanislav Dmitrievskii to be overturned Amnesty International is deeply disappointed by todays conviction of human rights defender Stanislav Dmitrievskii on race hate charges, for publishing non-violent articles by Chechen separatist leaders. Amnesty International considers that the conviction of Stanislav Dmitrievskii is a blow to independent civil society in Russia and will have a stifling effect on the right to freedom of expression. Stanislav Dmitrievskii has been convicted for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and should not have faced trial in the first place. Amnesty International considers that the conviction should be quashed. The Sovietskii district court in Nizhnii Novgorod imposed a two-year suspended sentence and a four-year probationary period on Stanislav Dmitrievskii. During this four-year period, Stanislav Dmitrievskii will have to inform the authorities as to any change of residence or travel plans, and will have to report regularly to the local authorities. Any violation of these conditions or a further criminal conviction could result in him being imprisoned for two years. Following the verdict, Stanislav Dmitrievskii thanked Amnesty International for the organizations support and expressed his determination to challenge the courts decision through the Russian courts and if necessary at the European Court of Human Rights. Reportedly, the prosecution also intends to appeal the verdict. Amnesty International will continue to campaign for justice for Stanislav Dmitrievskii and will monitor closely the progress of the case. Background Stanislav Dmitrievskii is Executive Director of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS) and editor-in-chief of the Pravo-zashchita newspaper (Rights defence, a human rights-oriented newspaper), which is published jointly by RCFS and another Nizhnii Novgorod-based human rights organization. Amnesty International is concerned that the criminal prosecution is a violation of his right to freedom of expression, and seems to be part of a campaign of harassment aimed at closing down the work of the RCFS. Stanislav Dmitrievskii was convicted for publishing in the April-May 2004 edition of Pravo-zashchita an appeal by the late Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov to the European Parliament calling for international recognition of the current Chechen conflict as an act of genocide by the Russian government against the Chechen people, and an appeal in the March 2004 edition of Pravo-zashchita by Aslan Maskhadov's envoy Akhmed Zakaev to the Russian people not to re-elect President Vladimir Putin. He was convicted under Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code which criminalizes: "...incitement of hatred or enmity, and likewise demeaning human dignity with regard to indicia of sex, race, nationality, language, origin, attitude towards religion, and likewise affiliation to any social group, committed publicly or with the use of the mass media... and with the use of his professional position." However, Amnesty International considers that the two articles published do not contain any incitement to hatred or enmity, or any form of violence. Amnesty International is concerned that such prosecutions have a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Russia and in this case has been part of a wider campaign against the RCFS. For several months, Amnesty International has expressed its concern at an apparent campaign of harassment and prosecution aimed at members of the RCFS, reportedly in response to the organizations work on human rights. As well as the criminal prosecution of Stanislav Dmitrievskii, the organization has simultaneously been subjected to legal action by the tax authorities and by the registration department of the Ministry of Justice. At the same time, both Stanislav Dmitrievskii and another staff member, Oksana Chelysheva, have been the subject of threatening leaflets which have been distributed this year in Nizhnii Novgorod, where the organization is based. Oksana Chelysheva is deputy Executive Director of the RCFS, editor of the Russian Chechen Information Agency, and editor of the Pravo-zashchita newspaper. The leaflets have accused the human rights defenders of being traitors and supporters of terrorists. Police investigations into the leaflets have been opened but no one responsible has yet been identified. Human Rights Watch - Russia: Activist's Conviction Hurts Freedom of Expression (Moscow, February 4, 2006) The conviction of a Russian human rights defender who highlighted abuses in the conflict in Chechnya is an unacceptable infringement on freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today. On February 3, a court in Nizhny Novgorod convicted Stanislav Dmitrievsky, executive director of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and editor of the organization's newspaper Pravozashchita, on charges of "inciting racial hatred," and handed down a two-year suspended sentence. The charges stem from the publication in Pravozashchita of two statements by Chechen rebel leaders Aslan Maskhadov and Akhmed Zakaev. "The state's case against Dmitrievsky was politically motivated and he should be exonerated," said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Freedom of speech is in real jeopardy in Russia, and the Dmitrievsky case sends an unmistakable message to journalists and human rights defenders throughout Russia, that they too could be prosecuted for doing their job." Human Rights Watch reviewed the two statements that were the basis for the charges and found that they do not contain any language that could legitimately be prohibited under international human rights law. Pravozashchita published in its April-May 2005 issue a statement by Maskhadov, the Chechen rebel leader later killed by Russian forces, calling for the international community to facilitate negotiations to end the Chechen conflict. In another issue, it published a statement by Maskhadov's representative, Zakaev, urging Russian voters not to reelect President Vladimir Putin and alleging that the war was in only his interests. The prosecution initially charged Dmitrievsky with making public calls for extremist activities, but the prosecutor's office later reclassified the charges to "incitement of ethnic, racial and religious hatred or enmity" (article 282 (b) of the Russian criminal code). Dmitrievsky has said that he will appeal the conviction. Dmitrievsky's conviction is also part of an ongoing government crackdown on civil society, particularly on those non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive foreign funding or work on sensitive issues. The government began to systematically harass NGOs that work on issues related to Chechnya after Putin lashed out against NGOs in his 2004 state-of-the-nation speech. Since then, officials have instituted spurious criminal charges against activists, threatened them, sought to close down NGOs or refused to register them, and intimidated victims who have spoken out. The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, which raises awareness about human rights abuses in Chechnya and helps victims seek justice, faced such pressure last year, when the Nizhny Novgorod department of justice tried unsuccessfully to liquidate it. The Nizhny Novgorod tax inspectorate has claimed that the organization owed one million rubles (about U.S.$35,000) in back taxes on a grant, which the inspectorate designated as "profit." The organization is challenging the charges. Dmitrievsky's conviction came the same week that the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs closed the Russian PEN Center, an NGO that advocates for freedom of expression, and froze its bank account on charges that it failed to pay property taxes. On January 27 a Moscow arbitration court ruled that Russian PEN Center owed the equivalent of $150,000 in back taxes for the office it rents. To view this document on the Human Rights Watch web site, please visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/02/04/russia12604.htm Nizniy Novgorod Report # 999 Dmitrievsky is convicted for two years of suspended sentence 03.02.2006. 13:20. It has just become known that the chief editor of the Russian-Chechen Information Agency Stanislav Dmitrievsky has been convicted by the judge's ruling for two years of suspended sentence. The court session started to day at 10 am. The chief editor of Russian-Chechen Information Agency Stas Dmitrievsky made his last statement and then the break was announced until 12.30. (From our correspondent) Nizniy Novgorod Report # 998 Observers have been allowed to get into the court room 03.02.2006. 13:00. It has become just known that the secretary of the court has allowed all the observers at the criminal trial against Stas Dmitirevsky and human rights activists who have come to Nizhny Novgorod to express their solidarity with the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society to get into the court room. We remind that the judge made a decision to keep the session going in the closed way. Dmitrievsky refused to go into the court room for approximately half an hour referring to the breach of his constitutional right on the openness of the court proceedings. The court session started to day at 10 am. The chief editor of Russian-Chechen Information Agency Stas Dmitrievsky made his last statement and then the break was announced until 12.30. (From our correspondent) Nizniy Novgorod Report # 997 The judge has made court proceedings against Dmitrievsky closed for the public and observers 03.02.2006. 12:49. It has just become known that there is no access to court room No40 at the Sovetsky district criminal court of Nizhny Novgorod where the verdict in the criminal case against Stas Dmitrievsky was to be read out at 12.30 Moscow time. Judge Bondarenko has made a decision to continue the court proceedings in the closed way. Only the defendant's lawyers and his relatives have been allowed to come into the court room. Dmitrievsky is refusing to go into the court room referring to the breach of the right granted by the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the openness of court proceedings. The court session started to day at 10 am. The chief editor of Russian-Chechen Information Agency Stas Dmitrievsky made his last statement and then the break was announced until 12.30. Leaders of several human rights organizations and mass media venues have come to Nizhny Novgorod to observe the trial, including the former Russian ombudsman Sergey Kovlayov, Svetlana Gannushkina (Civic Assistance), Alexander Podrabinek (Prima News Agency), Nikoly Khramov (Transnational Radical Party), Tatiana Lokshina (Demos Center), Jury Jibladze (Center for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights), Alexander Mnatsakanyan (International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights), Natalia Taubina (Public Verdict Foundation), Igor Kalyapin (Nizhny Novgorod Committee against Torture). Two simultaneous pickets were held at the court building, for and against Stas Dmitirevsky. Members of the Nashi movement held a picket under the slogan There have been too many victims of terror for the last ten years. The picket in support Dmitrievsky was organized by a number of Russian human rights organizations, including the International Youth Movement and Dront Center (Nizhny Novgorod-based ecological organization). Three participants of this picket were subject to unmotivated detention but soon released. (From our correspondent) A Fair Trial for Stas Dmitrievsky? Trial against Russian-Chechen Friendship Society Head Stas Dmitrievsky - Prosecutor Demands a Four Years Colony-Settlement Term Vienna, 2 February 2006. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) is concerned about apparent restrictions on the independence of the court in the criminal trial against Stas Dmitrievsky, Executive Manager of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS), which suggest that the trial is mainly political. The Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of the Nizhny Novgorod region founded their accusation on a shallow expert opinion, while an alternative opinion was rejected by the court; put the judge under pressure; and committed numerous other breaches of the law during the investigation and indictment. It is expected that the court session in Nizhny Novgorod on Friday, 3 February 2005 will be the last when the defendant can make his final statements, after which the court will pronounce the sentence on the case. Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Try to Put the Judge under Pressure A.N. Maslova, deputy prosecutor of the Sovetsky district of Nizhny Novgorod and dealing with the case against Dmitrievsky, in the 18 January 2006 hearing expressed her conviction that, âDmitrievsky is dangerous for the society ⌠all his actions can be regarded as extremist activities aimed at undermining state securityâ, and she also referred to âthe extremely tense situation in the country when accidents like the recent crime in a Moscow synagogue happen more and more oftenâ, which in her opinion make it necessary that publications like those of the RCFS are inadmissible. She demanded a 4-year colony-settlement term for him. A week earlier, the prosecutor of Nizhny Novgorod Region, Vladimir Demidov, expressed his certainty both about the conviction of Stas Dmitrievsky and the inevitable term of imprisonment, stating âI am sure that Dmitrievsky will be put to prison and, being on the side that supports the accusation, we are going to press for his criminal responsibility,â further stating âit is important for our multinational society, which supports a positive attitude towards all nationalities, that calls made by bandits inciting to ethnic hatred be not published by newspapersâ, pointing out that âwe mustnât allow any attempts to destabilise the situationâ. As this can be regarded as imposing pressure upon the court, contrary to the Guidelines on the role of Prosecutors (1), the lawyers of Dmitrievsky lodged a complaint. Additionally, the IHF has received credible reports that staff members of the Prosecutors Office are under pressure to make sure that Stas Dmitrievsky is indeed convicted and sentenced to a colony term. They were summoned to work late hours and informed that should they fail to win the case, some of them would be fired. Accusation is Founded on a Shallow Expert Opinion, While Alternative Opinion is Rejected by the Court The accusations are based on an expert opinion of Larisa Teslenko, expert of the Privolzhsky Regional Center of Legal Expertise at the Ministry of Justice, who asserted that Dmitrievskyâs actions were aimed at inciting animosity by taking advantage of his official position. While firmly insisting that the incriminated materials raise racial, national and social enmity âbetween Russian and Chechensâ, Teslenko refused to answer most of the 50 questions raised by the defense, explaining that they were beyond her competence. She refused, for example, to define the terms âraceâ, ânationalityâ and âsocial groupâ, declaring that on these questions the sociologist, instead of the linguist should answer. Judge Bondarenko refused to attach an alternative expertise conducted by Galina Vronskaya, senior lecturer at the journalism department of the Chuvash State University and president of the Chuvash Guild of Linguists and stated that the reason was that âit had been carried out not by the courtâs request and for moneyâ, and therefore was biased. This expert said that in her estimation the statements by Maskhadov and Zakaev contained no degrading descriptions, negative appraisals or statements in relation to racial, ethnic or social groups or individuals representing them. Additionally, the articles contained factual statements that in themselves cannot be regarded as inciting any hostility unless proven untrue. In the framework of preparing the grounds for opening a criminal case, on 29 December 2004, the office of Nizhny Novgorod Regionâs Prosecutor requested an analysis of RCFS publications from Olga Khokhlysheva, professor at Nizhny Novgorod State University.(2) The analysis, which was delivered quickly, in January 2005, stated that âthe publications in Pravo-zaschita can be regarded as serious violations of the Russian Criminal Code and undermining of the Constitutional orderâ, also contain xenophobic statements that violate Russian law and humiliate people according to their nationality.(3) This analysis, predictably, was not used in the criminal proceedings but read during the trial on the demand of the defense. Prosecutor's Office Committed Numerous Breaches of the Law During the Investigation and the Bringing of Charges Dmitrievsky's lawyer Leyla Khamzaeva called the attention of the court to numerous breaches of law perpetrated by the prosecutor's office in the process of investigation and bringing charges against him. She pointed out that such cases have always been considered in administrative legal proceedings, not in criminal ones. There is a list of expressions that are regarded to be extremist and if they are published, a media venue receives a warning. The RCFS case started immediately with bringing charges under Article 280 and then under Article 282. The lawyer insists there is a clear breach of legal procedure and that Dmitrievsky has the right to demand that charges against him be considered in administrative legal proceedings. Ombudsman, Head of Human Rights Council and Human Rights Defenders Reject the Accusation In a statement from 1 February 2006, the Russian Ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, and the head the Human Rights Council under the President of the RF, Ella Pamfilova, not only expressed their conviction, that in the incriminated texts there were no appeals to any, including interethnic, enmity(4), but they also criticized the prosecutorâs demand for a 4-year colony settlement term as disproportionate, particularly given the (non-)persecutions of extreme nationalists and ideologists of pogroms. Ludmilla Alexeyeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group commented, âThe case against Stas Dmitrievsky is politically motivated. The real aim of those who are behind the charges against the editor of the anti-war newspaper is to close down an independent source for information on Chechnya. I have known Dmitrievsky for many years as a person who has always defended the right of people to live in peace, and when he encountered among his Chechen acquaintances mistrust against the Russian people as such he was always rejecting accusations of their common responsibility for what happens in Chechnya. Stas always fought for human rights and condemned discrimination on racial or ethnic basis. The Moscow Helsinki Group always supported RCFS activities and often used the information of RCFS about the situation in the republic while drafting its annual reports.â In a 15 November 2005 statement, Amnesty International declared that they would consider Stas Dmitrievsky to be a prisoner of conscience if imprisoned on these charges. The IHF agrees with Russian human rights defenders who believe that the governmentâs assault upon the RCFS shall set a precedent for a wider campaign against civil society. It is especially important in the context of the new NGO law. Yuri Dzhibladze, President of the Center for Development of Democracy and Human Rights, regards the trial as an attack on the human rights movement as a whole, and commented, âIn case Dmitrievsky is convicted and even if the sentence will be suspended, he loses the right to establish an NGO, be a member of a board of any NGO or even simply be a member of an any NGO. Moreover, the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and Dmitrievsky will face renewed attack in an arbitration process where the tax authorities claim that profit taxes should have been paid for grants received by the RCFS. Finally, foreign donors who supported RCFS (the European Commission and the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington, DC) will also be under attack: it will be widely publicized that they were funding not legitimate human rights work but extremist activity. Very much like in the âspy scandalâ that happened in Russian last week, the verdict against Dmitrievsky will be used against independent NGOs and their foreign donors. This may have very serious implications for freedom of association in Russia.â Background: Particularly since January 2005, the RCFS was subject to a series of different forms of harassment, includingcriminal proceedings against the RCFS. A criminal investigation was conducted originally by the FSB, after it had been commenced by the Prosecutors Office in January 2005, referring to article 280 of the Criminal Code (âpublic calls to extremist activitiesâ). Later, it was reclassified and transferred to the prosecutorâs office of Nizhny Novgorod Region. On 2 September 2005, Stas Dmitrievsky was officially charged under paragraph b, of part 2 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code (âinciting hatred or enmity on the basis of ethnicity and religionâ), offences which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, for allowing the re-publication of two appeals by Chechen leaders Aslan Maskhadov and Akhmed Zakaev, in the newspaper Pravo-zashchita (âRights Defenseâ), in March and April 2004, urging the international community to help end the war in Chechnya, and calling on Russians not to vote for Putin and thus help end the conflict. Simultaneously, starting in March 2005, the Federal Tax Inspectorate commenced an audit of the accounts of the RCFS for the past three years, and in June 2005 issued âorder Nr. 25â, claiming that the RCFS has violated the Tax Code and has to pay profit tax and a fine totaling 1.001.561 Rubles (around 28.200 Euro). They claim that foreign grants the RCFS is receiving amount to profit. The RCFS appealed this decision with the arbitration court. This procedure is still ongoing, but the arbitration court complied with the petition of the tax inspection to postpone the consideration of the case until a decision by the criminal court in the case against Dmitrievsky is taken. The tax authorities claim that if Dmitrievsky is found guilty on extremist charges, it will be a proof that the grant money was used for illegal purposes and not according to the grant agreement, and that therefore the money cannot be considered tax-exempt anyway and a profit tax and penalty should be paid. As a result, the organisation may be destroyed. Parallel to these proceedings, in September 2005, the Nizhny Novgorod Department of the Ministry of Interior commenced a criminal case on the basis of the conclusions made by the tax inspection for âevading payment of taxes or dues in a big scaleâ (Article 199, Part I of the Criminal Code) and interrogated Dmitrievsky and both present and former accountants of the organization. A third form, the civil action by the Justice Ministry Registration Department to deregister the RCFS, which had begun in April 2005 (after an off-schedule control in February) because of RCFSâs âfailure to provide the Federal Registration Service with required documentsâ (that had to be handed over to the Tax Inspectorate at the same time), stopped after a court turned down this request on 14 November 2005. The criminal and legal cases are accompanied by campaigns in the media against the organization and its heads, threatening leaflets and phone calls, and an burglary into the flat of Dmitrievsky. See also: IHF statement, âLegal Harassment Against the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society â Another Updateâ, 10 January 2006 IHF statement, âLegal Harassment Against the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society - An Updateâ, 29 November 2005 IHF statement, âBritish Lawyer Barred From Entering Russia to monitor trial of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society in Nizhny Novgorod, 15 November 2005 IHF statement, âThe âRussian-Chechen Friendship Societyâs Under Severe Risk of being Destroyed by Russian Authorities. Its Director Stas Dmitrievsky Faces a Prison Term, 2 November 2005 IHF statement, "Russian Federation: Nizhny Novgorod Authorities Launch Final Crackdown on Russian-Chechen Friendship Society. Todayâs Protest Picket Dissolved after Five Minutes â Participants Detained", 2 September 2005. IHF statement, âContinuing Persecution of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society. Its Partner Organisation Nizhny Novgorod Human Rights Society Closed Down by Authoritiesâ, 10 June 2005 IHF statement, âWe Fear for the Safety of our Colleagues in the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society⌠Russian Human Rights Organization Threatenedâ, 19 March 2005 IHF statement, âFSB Raids the Russian-Chechen Friendship Societyâ, 20 January 2005 For further information: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights In Vienna: Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director, +43-1-408 88 22 or +43 -676-635 66 12; Henriette Schroeder, IHF Press Officer, +43-676-725 48 29 In Moscow: Tanya Lokshina, +7 -916-624 19 06 Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, Stas Dmitrievsky, Oksana Chelysheva, +7-8312-171 666 Endnotes: (1) These guidelines were adopted by the 8th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Cuba (1999), and state that âin the performance of their duties, prosecutors shall âperform their duties fairly, consistentlyâ, âcarry out their function impartiallyâ, and âact with objectivity, take proper account of the position of the suspect and the victim, and pay attention to all relevant circumstances, irrespective of whether they are to the advantage or disadvantage of the suspectâ. (2) This request from 29.12.2004 was signed by the prosecutor with the department on protecting constitutional rights and freedoms at the prosecutorâs office A.V. Malyugin and bears the â 7/2-31-04. (3) It casts her doubts on the existence of the Chechen, Jewish and Arab nations, justifies the deportation of the Chechen people in 1944 on Stalinâs orders by âthe historic circumstances and the objective necessity that had emerged by that timeâ. Therefore, these conclusions contradict with the Russian Law âOn Rehabilitation of the Repressed Peoplesâ from 1991 according to which Stalinâs repressive acts against different peoples of Russia, including their deportation, were âunlawful and criminalâ (Article 1). The law also defines these acts as cases of genocide (Article 2) and establishes criminal responsibility âfor agitation and propaganda aimed at preventing from rehabilitation of the repressed peoplesâ as well as for inciting to such actions (Article 4). (4) At the same time they said that it did contain a not always adequate judgment of the actions of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus. __________________________________________ Joachim Frank, Project Coordinator International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Wickenburggasse 14/7 A-1080 Vienna Tel. +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 22 Fax: +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 50 Web: http://www.ihf-hr.org ______________________________________ Moscow - Picket in front of FSB building dissolved At least 16 human rights defenders detained Human Rigths Center "Memorial" M. Karetniy pereulok 12, 103051, Moscow, Russia, tel:(095) 200-6506, fax:(095) 209-5779, e-mail: memhrc@memo.ru Today, on 1 February 2006, the planned action of several human rights organizations under the slogan "FSB - hands off the civil society!" took place. In a notice to the city district the place in front of Lubyanka 2 was specified. The city district refused to give its permission, referring to the "impossibility of accommodation for the participants of the action at the specified place" and instead suggested to have the picket at Solovetskiy stone, and the number of participants should be limited to no more than 50 persons. The organizers of the picket found the refusal unreasonable and illegal and called for carrying out a picket at the planned place during the planned time. At 17 o'clock the picketeers gathered in front of the building of the FSB, but could not approach the front of the main entrance: workers cleared the roof of the snow. The picket was concentrated at the corner of the FSB building, and posters were rolled out. Soon after that, the police started with detentions. At present, we know about 16 arrested persons: Shnejder M.J. Ponomarev L.A. Guryanov F.Đ Gefter V.M. Tatarinov A.J. Kolesnik I.V. Orlov O.P. Kriger M.A. Gorelov A.N. Rjabinina E.Z. Hramov N.E. Podrabinek A.P. Frumkin E.V. Mnatskanjan A.G. Hamroev B.M. Mironov A.N. According to O.P.Orlov, at the moment the treatment of the arrested persons and their lawyers has ceased to be correct. Without giving his name, a police officer teared apart one of the detention reports. On the remark of a present lawyer, another police officer, who also did not introduce himself, answered in a rough manner and threatened the lawyer with a personal inspection. In the opinion of the arrested persons, the situation is heated. (Unofficial translation) __________________________________________ Joachim Frank, Project Coordinator International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Wickenburggasse 14/7 A-1080 Vienna Tel. +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 22 Fax: +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 50 Web: http://www.ihf-hr.org ______________________________________ Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP) 3.2.2006 Participants picketing FSB building detained RUSSIA, Moscow. On February 1st, at the FSB building in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, representatives of Russian human rights organizations conducted a protest action against the provocations and slanders of the authorities and, in particular, the FSB. The human rights activists applied for a permit in advance. The authorities stated it was not possible to carry out demonstrations in the area of the FSB building. They suggested that organizers conduct their action at the Solovetsky Stone in Lubyanka Square with 30 people. The picketers gathered not long before the appointed time at the Solovetsky Stone, after which they moved to the FSB building. The first attempts to reach it were unsuccessful, because the police and OMON blocked passages to the building from different sides. Finally the participants approach the building from Myasnitsky Street. The picketers, around 50 people, shouted: "Well protect our rights!", "FSB, stop lying!", "Putin, stop lying! They held posters reading: "Comrade State Security Agents! Are you going back to your old ways ?!", " Controlled democracy " is hostile to civic community!", "No to the suffocation of the civic community!", "Forbid the forbidden!", "You catch Basayev, but not to Alekseyev!","Uncontrolled authority a direct path to tyranny", "Are RTR - 2-1 FSB channels?", " English spy Laurentius Beria worked here", and "Not... to the stone the enemy will overhear". Participants began to be detained soon after the picketing began. Internal affairs officers detained and delivered at least 18 people to the Meshansky OVD. Among them were: Valentina Gefter, Mikhail Krieger, Andrey Mironov, Oleg Orlov, Aleksandr Podrabinek, Leo Ponomarev, Elena Ryabinina, Yevgeny Ikhlov, Nikolai Khramov, Mikhail Schneider, F.Guryanov, Andrey Tatarinov, Ivan Kolesnik, A.Gorelov, Yevgeny Frumkin, Aleksandr Mnatsakanyan, Baxrom Xamroyev. All the detained were delivered in police buses to the Meshansky OVD for the completion of documentation on administrative offenses. Translated by OM Kenney PRIMA-News Agency [2006-02-01-Rus-18] 3.2.2006 Trial of FSB building picketers did not take place RUSSIA, Moscow. On February 2nd, the trial of those detained on February 1st for picketing the FSB building did not take place, as the documentatio on their detention was not delivered to the court. 18 picketers were detained by the police because they, in the opinion of the administration of the central region of Moscow, broke the rules for conducting demonstrations. Elena Ryabinina, one of the participants in the protest action, told a correspondent of PRIMA-News that those detained in the previous days picketing went to the Meshansky Court in Moscow on February 2nd, but since the documentation was not delivered on time, they left. On February 1st, in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, representatives of Russian human rights organizations conducted a protest action against provocations and slanders directed against them by the authorities and, in particular, the FSB. The organizers of the action emphasized that the Lubyanka is not among the locations where picketing is forbidden, and therefore the claims of the authorities are illegal. Translated by OM Kenney The Crisis in Chechnya and the Northern Caucasus at a Glance International Rescue Committee 31 Jan 2006 - Violence first erupted in Chechnya in 1994, when 250,000 people were forced to flee to neighboring territories because of a civil conflict between Chechen separatists and the Russian army. After a short-lived and unstable peace from 1996 to 1999, war resumed following actions blamed on Chechen militant groups. An estimated 100,000 people were killed in both conflicts and many more displaced. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of displaced people almost doubled the population of the small neighboring republic of Ingushetia, putting a great strain on already thinly-spread resources. Forced closure of tent camps for displaced families in 2003 and 2004 drove many back to an uncertain future in temporary shelters in Chechnya (where many remain today, stranded), while others sought a precarious existence in abandoned industrial sites or with local host families. Their legal status is fragile and they are still subject to pressure from authorities to return. While the situation now in Chechnya has become quieter and many displaced families are making their way home voluntarily, some 36,000 people still remain in exile in the nearby republics of Ingushetia and Dagestan (some 38,000 within Chechnya itself are also still unable to return to their homes), humanitarian and reconstruction needs retain their urgency, and human rights abuses still occur on a significant scale. Some 800,000 of Chechnyas estimated 1.1 million people are recognized by the UN as being especially vulnerable. In addition, other Northern Caucasian Russian republics such as North Ossetia (site of the Beslan siege), Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia and Dagestan are sliding into greater instability. Effects of the Conflict Human right abuses: Serious abuses including unlawful arrest, robbery, rape, torture, and murder are reported on an almost daily basis by human rights organizations. They are committed primarily by law enforcement agencies and private militias operating in Chechnya. According to the latest reports from Memorial (a leading Russian human rights NGO), a total of 1,799 Chechen civilians have been kidnapped since 2002, with about 1,000 of them yet to be found. 316 people were abducted in Chechen territory in 2005; 166 of them were released, 23 were found killed, and 127 are still missing. Spread of instability: There have been signs of instability spreading to other republics in the Northern Caucasus, with increased levels of militant activity (including hostage-taking, bombs, and armed attacks). The Belsan siege in September 2004, large-scale attack in Nalchik in October 2005, and escalating daily violence in Dagestan all illustrate the unpredictability of extremist actions and political instability that continues to simmer throughout the entire region. The spread of violent rebel activities throughout the Northern Caucasus has also contributed to an increase in tensions between ethnic groups. This tension has become especially evident following the Beslan school hostage crisis since when relations and daily interactions between ethnic Ingush and ethnic North Ossetians have become markedly strained. Spread of terrorism: The further deterioration of the political, social, and economic situation in the whole of the Northern Caucasus has the potential to engender more violence, seeding further conflicts, and creating a breeding ground for international terrorism. The lack of opportunity or future prospects already acts as a push factor for youth toward extremism and there are numerous reports of Chechen fighters in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Corruption & organized crime: Russian authorities themselves - including President Putin - have highlighted corruption as a pervasive problem in public life in the Northern Caucasus. Governmental, social and commercial life remain hobbled by graft, bribery, kidnapping, extortion and other criminal activity. Basic public services such as health which are supposed to be free are in fact rendered inaccessible to poor households because bribes and private fees are required. Governments throughout the region are widely perceived to be corrupt and unresponsive. Reports by the Russian governments own envoy to the region estimate that 26% of the Northern Caucasus economic activity is in the organized crime sector (twice the Russian average). High poverty and unemployment levels: According to the Chechen Department of Labors figures, the unemployment rate in Chechnya stands at 80%. UN OCHA estimates the unemployment rate of Chechens displaced in Ingushetia as 90%. The UN Transitional Workplan for 2006 acknowledges that poverty levels across the region are much higher than the Russian average a recent study by ICRC found that rural areas were especially badly hit for example, two thirds of the rural population of Dagestan lives below the poverty line. The WHO estimates the infant mortality rate for Chechnya and Ingushetia at twice the average for the Russian Federation as a whole. Harassment of NGOs by government agencies: 2005 saw an increase in the harassment of NGOs in the Northern Caucasus by government agencies. This ranged from petty bureaucratic harassment (through unannounced and often illegal checks) to a concerted attempt by most lawmakers in the national parliament to pass a new NGO law that would have effectively strangled all civil society activity. While some of the worst aspects of this law were removed at the last minute following international and local pressure, the resulting law signed into law by President Putin in early January - provides the Russian government with extensive powers over civil society organizations, including arbitrary denial of the ability to operate or exist. Addressing the Conflict The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of only a handful of international NGOs working in the region. IRC recognizes that the following actions would help address the conflict and lead to durable solutions. IRC urges international donors particularly the US government to: * Maintain support and funding to humanitarian assistance, while providing support for a transition to longer-term solutions in social and economic recovery, peace-building, and the promotion of good governance; * Continue to raise issues of the protection and promotion of human rights under domestic and international standards; and * Assist the international humanitarian and development community to maintain a stable and constructive operating environment, where the priorities of people in need are placed first and foremost within a framework of respect for national rule of law; * Maintain vigilance on the implementation of the new NGO law, seeking to ensure the Russian authorities do not use it as a means to stifle civil society action. IRC urges the Russian government to: * Provide displaced persons with documentation that allows them to live wherever they choose to live; * Allow displaced persons live free of direct and indirect harassment and pressure to return to Chechnya; * Provide effective and efficient means to improve the security, economic, and social situation of the war-affected population of the Northern Caucasus; * Facilitate the effective delivery of international humanitarian and development assistance in the Northern Caucasus; * Stop human right abuses (kidnapping, torture, unlawful detention, murder, racketeering, etc.) by security forces and government-linked private militias in Chechnya; * Prosecute and punish members of security forces (Federal and Republican) that have committed human right abuses and prosecute and punish government officials involved in corruption; * Provide a fair, transparent and constructive legal framework for NGO and wider civil society activity in the Russian Federation, and end the close surveillance and obstruction of civil society organizations by domestic security agencies and other organs of the state authority. http://www.theirc.org/news/the_crisis_in_chechnya_and_the_northern_caucasus_at_a_glance.html |