| Amnesty International Urges PACE to
Continue Monitoring Human Rights in Russia 22.06.2005 MosNews International human rights body Amnesty International has urged the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to play a key role in monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in Russia, including in Chechnya, as in its view the situation in the country is dire. The organization admits in a public statement published on its U.S. website that Russia has made good progress in relation to some commitments, including ratification of key human rights instruments, the introduction of a new Criminal Procedure Code and the transfer of responsibility for the prison administration from the Interior Ministry to the Ministry of Justice. But it stresses, however, that the ongoing armed conflict in the Chechen Republic still remains one of the main rights issues to monitor in Russia. To change the rights situation in Chechnya for the better, Amnesty International calls on the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to ensure that his office monitor and regularly report to the Committee of Ministers on the on-going human rights situation in the republic, and to ensure that the reports are made public. In 1997, the Russian Federation committed to bring to justice those found responsible for human rights violations, notably in relation to events in Chechnya, AI pointed out and stressed that since that time, however, not only has a second armed conflict started, with serious human rights abuses by both sides, there have also been almost no effective investigations into any of the widespread human rights violations. They include extrajudicial killings, “disappearances”, torture, rape and ill-treatment by members of the Russian and Chechen security forces, and indiscriminate killings of civilians. The body also urges Russian authorities to implement the recommendations made to them by all bodies and mechanisms of the Council of Europe and to immediately authorize publication of all reports of its representatives’ visits to the Russian Federation. In the view of Amnesty International’s experts, Russia has also to abolish the death penalty de jure, complete the reform of the prosecutor’s office in line with Council of Europe standards, and develop the law on alternative military service. Its other concerns throughout the Russian Federation include incidences of mass arrests, arbitrary detention, and torture and ill-treatment in places of detention, and impunity for murder and physical assault on members of ethnic and national minorities and on foreign nationals. PACE rapporteur on Russia to raise issue of human rights in Chechnya STRASBOURG, June 22 (RIA Novosti, Kristina Rodrigues) - PACE co-rapporteur on Russia Rudolf Bindig said he intended to raise the issue of human rights in Chechnya in his report at a PACE session Wednesday. The Parliamentary Assembly will consider a report on the fulfillment of Russia's obligations to the Council of Europe. The 120-page report was drafted by members of the PACE monitoring committee David Atkinson (UK) and Bindig. Members will vote on the report following its presentation. "The situation with human rights situation in Chechnya is complicated," Bindig said. "We have to raise this issue in the report on the monitoring of Russia's obligations to the Council of Europe." According to Bindig, the major problems are caused by drawbacks in investigations into human rights violations and in taking relevant cases to court. |