Statement by PACE President on recent developments in Chechnya
Statement by Assembly President on Chechnya
Strasbourg, 12.07.2001 - Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President, Lord Russell-Johnston, today made the following declaration on Chechnya:
"In recent weeks, there has been mounting evidence of a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Chechnya. There is little doubt that the conduct of the Russian forces - as manifested during the recent "mop-up" operations in Assinovskaya and Sernovodsk - is largely to be blamed for this. I expect all human rights violations to be condemned at the highest level by the Russian authorities.
The reports of new human rights abuses come against the background of the Russian authorities' deplorable lack of willingness to properly investigate allegations of past abuse. The failure to bring to justice those responsible for crimes constitutes a blatant violation of Russia's obligations as a member of the Council of Europe and as a party to its most important conventions, notably the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
An Assembly delegation will visit Chechnya from 13-16 September, with a view to examining the human rights situation on the ground. A meeting of the Assembly's Joint Working Group with the Russian State Duma is planned for 21 September in Strasbourg, and will be followed by a debate on the situation in Chechnya during the Assembly's September part-session from 24-28 September. By that time, we expect to receive evidence of concrete and substantial progress with regard to both the present conduct of the Russian security forces and the investigations of past abuses.
I also expect that European and world leaders, who have developed close and cordial relationships with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, will use their influence to bring to bear effective pressure on the Russian authorities to change their present unacceptable conduct."
Press contact :
Micaela Catalano, Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit, Tel. +33/(0)3
88 41 25 95 - Fax. +33/(0)3 90 21 41 34, Email : micaela.catalano@coe.int
Press Release
Council of Europe Press Service
Ref: 527a01
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