MINELREL-L Archive (02042001-21:19:13-11713)

Open Letter to Russian President and Duma on Russian Foreign Policies and Human Rights


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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 21:19:08 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Open Letter to Russian President and Duma on Russian Foreign Policies and Human Rights


From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: International Helsinki Federation <[email protected]>

Open Letter to Russian President and Duma on Russian Foreign
Policies and Human Rights


Helsinki Committees from Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the
Russian Federation express concerns about Russian Foreign Policies and
Human Rights
 
Vienna, 31 January 2001: The Helsinki Committees from Belarus,
Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and the Russian Federation delivered a
common Open Letter to the President and Duma of the Russian
Federation, expressing their concerns about the negative impact of
specific Russian Policies on human rights in those countries.  The
letter was also signed by the Czech Helsinki Committee and by the
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.
 
The letter expresses deep concern at Russian support for the
Lukashenko regime in Belarus, the role played by the Russian
Federation with regard to the stability of Georgia, and its
relationship to the illegal breakaway area of Transdniestria in
Moldova.
 
A copy of the letter is attached.
 
For more information contact:
IHF Press Office
Tel: (+43 1) 408 8822
Fax: (+43 1) 40 8822 50
Email: [email protected]

----------------

Open letter

To the President of the Russian Federation, to the Federal Assembly of
the Russian Federation

Moscow/Vienna, 31 January 2001: As members of the International
Helsinki Federation and representatives of independent human rights
organizations from Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and the
Czech Republic, we would like to bring to your notice our concern
about the current human rights situation in Belarus, Georgia, Moldova,
Russia and Ukraine. 

We are forced to conclude that not only is Russia failing to improve
the human rights situation in the CIS but that the policies of the
Russian Federation to date have actively contributed to the
deterioration of the human rights situation in these states.

In developing closer union with Belarus, the Russian authorities have
completely ignored the fact of massive violation of legal norms,
democracy and human rights in the Republic of Belarus. In particular,
representatives of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and you,
Mr.President, despite the proven fact of widespread violation of the
norms of the Copenhagen document of the OSCE (1990), have declared the
recent elections to the House of Representatives of the National
Assembly of Belarus to be "democratic".

We believe the Russian authorities, given the existing relationship
between Russia and Belarus, have a real opportunity to exert influence
on Belarus to fulfil the standards and norms of the OSCE. This would
be of critical importance for the forthcoming elections of the head of
the Belarusan state. We hope that Russia, as a member of the OSCE,
will give serious attention to the situation, which has caused deep
concern in the human rights community for several years.

Relations between Georgia and Russia in the post-Soviet period have
been soured by the support Russia has given to the forces responsible
for destabilization and inter-ethnic conflict in this country. This
has led to severe violations of human rights, criminal activity and a
repressive state policy, which the existing regime excuses by quoting
security considerations.

The withdrawal of two Russian military bases from Georgian territory,
agreed at the OSCE summit in Istanbul, has not been carried out.
Moreover, there is reason to believe that this issue lies behind the
recent introduction in Russia of visa requirements for Georgian
citizens. We are concerned at the discriminatory nature of these
restrictions, since they do not extend to citizens of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Besides this, the introduction of visa restrictions
complicates the lives of thousands of Georgian citizens living in
Russia.

We express our concern that the Russian Federation continues to extend
moral, political, financial and military support to the
self-proclaimed regimes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We also note
that the contingent of Russian peacekeeping forces in Georgia often
violates the rights of non-combatant citizens, rather than promoting
human rights observance in conflict zones. 

We are concerned by the continuing Russian military presence on the
territory of the Republic of Moldova, despite repeatedly confirmed
international obligations to withdraw, and also that Russia continues
to supply the Transdnestria regime with weapons and military
personnel, alongside political and economic support. We ask how it can
possibly be in Russia's interest to promote an illegal regime
responsible for severe violations of fundamental rights, and where
European standards and mechanisms of human rights protection cannot be
introduced at all.

Although the situation in Ukraine is better than in the states already
mentioned, Russian-Ukrainian relations display the same negative
trend. Tension has been induced by the political and financial support
Russia has given to separatist and anti-democratic forces in the
autonomous republics of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Because of its actions within the CIS territory, Russia stands accused
of pursuing "imperial politics". This is a matter of deep concern,
particularly since Russia does not use its influence to promote the
observance of basic human rights in these countries. We recognize that
the foreign policy of the state is a reflection of the situation
inside the country. A policy of "information security", strengthening
the direct intervention of special services in economic and political
processes inside the country, and the continuation of a bloody and
senseless military campaign in the Chechen Republic, all testify to
the fact that the Russian Federation is acting in violation of human
rights, democratic values and the principle of legality.

We maintain that the observance of human rights in the region
corresponds precisely to the national interests of Russia. Ignoring
the human rights problems of the region will not bring peace,
stability and prosperity to Russia, nor to her partners in the CIS and
the global community.

We therefore appeal to you to be guided in relations with the
countries of the CIS by international law, including the obligations
contained in documents of the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and
Conventions of the CIS concerning human rights.


Ludmilla Alexeyeva, Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, President of
the International Helsinki Federation

Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director, International Helsinki Federation

Tatyana Protsko, President, Belarus Helsinki Committee

Ramaz Rekhviashvili, Chairman,  Georgia Helsinki Committee (Caucasian
Centre for Human Rights)

Stefan Uritu,Chair, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the
Republic of Moldova

Pavel Bilek, Deputy Director, Czech Helsinki Committee

Evgen Dyky, Executive Director, Ukrainian Committee "Helsinki-90"

 
___
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF)
Wickenburggasse 14/7, 1080 Vienna, Austria
Tel. +43-1-4088822-11 Fax +43-1-4088822-50
http://www.ihf-hr.org/

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