Human Rights Council under Russian President proposes to establish federal commission on former militants' adaptation

Members of the Council for Development of Civil Society and Human Rights under President of Russia proposed to establish the federal adaptation commission of former members of the armed underground to civilian life. Representatives of the law enforcement agencies insist that the commissions should work directly in place, that is, in Northern Caucasus. Human rights defenders believe that their work will be much easier with the support of Moscow.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the meeting of the Presidential Council on Human Rights on the topic: "Commission on Adaptation of Former Militants: Experiences and Perspectives" was held on July 10 at the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation. The meeting was devoted to the work of the commissions on adaptation in Northern Caucasus, intended for persons, who have left the ranks of illegal armed formations (IAFs).

On July 3, at the meeting of the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC) in Makhachkala, Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Russian FSB, stated that the commissions on adaptation to civilian life of those persons, who decided to stop their terrorist activities, can become a key element in the prevention of terrorism.

"With the receipt of the federal status, the commission will raise its credibility in the eyes of members of illegal armed formations. The society should become the intermediary between power agents and authorities, we need to stop reports on casualties," Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Committee "Civil Assistance" has emphasized.

The idea of establishment of the federal commission was also approved by Vladimir Lukin, Ombudsman in the Russian Federation. According to him, the initiative "will have a positive impact on the return of people from the forest."

Rizvan Kurbanov: in Dagestan, militants began surrendering only after establishment of commission

Summarizing the preliminary results of his work, Rizvan Kurbanov, the head of the Dagestani Commission on adaptation, the State Duma Deputy, also supported the idea of establishment of the federal commission.

According to the deputy, in Dagestan, during 1.5 years, the Commission held 15 meetings, and 37 persons passed through the Commission on adaptation. "32 applications were granted," Rizvan Kurbanov stated.

The State Duma deputy shared his experience of the work of the Republic's Commission. Meanwhile, he has explained that the work "is very difficult, since power agencies believe that the Commission tries to replace the police; however, that was not in question."

Speaking about the idea of establishing the federal adaptation commission, he has emphasized that regional organizations "need federal support."

"Saudi Arabia adapts on the expense of the federal funds militants, who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq," gave an example the head of the Dagestani Commission. He has stressed that "in Dagestan, militants began to surrender to the authorities only after the establishment of the commission."

Shamil Mutaev: investigators create conditions that hinder work of adaptation commission

Only one condition should be valid for the consideration of application of a person, who contacted the adaptation commission the person should stop further illegal activities as a member of the IAF. This was Shamil Mutaev, the head of the Division of the Dagestani Committee on adaptation of former militants.

"However, investigators expose a number of additional conditions that hinder performance and reduce the number of persons with applications," Shamil Mutaev said.

"To submit an application, eligible for consideration, a person should voluntarily surrender, to lay down arms, to be criminally liable for the first time. And the most important thing is that every time during the investigatory actions he should confirm his guilt. Meanwhile, an application of a person, who earlier was brought to criminal responsibility, even for a minor violation, is ineligible," Shamil Mutaev has stressed.

"Apart from charges of participation in an illegal armed formation (Article 208 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), investigatory authorities often file charges against members of IAFs of banditry (Article 209 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). It turns out that the same person is twice accused of committing the same crime. The Commission is powerless there, since it works only under Article 208 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," Shamil Mutaev said.

Akhmed Kotiev: one of Dokku Umarov's guards surrenders to Ingushetian authorities

In Ingushetia, the commission's work managed to return to civilian life 31 former militants. This was stated at the meeting by Akhmed Kotiev, Secretary of the Security Council of Ingushetia.

"One of the guards of Dokku Umarov, the leader of North-Caucasian militants, surrendered to the authorities of Ingushetia. His surname is not disclosed, since he is under state protection (Akhmed Kotiev did not clarified the date of the guard's voluntary surrender to the authorities, note of the "Caucasian Knot"). In total, at present, there are no more than 50 militants in Ingushetia," Akhmed Kotiev said.

"Mothers of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic to Protect Citizens' Rights and Freedom": adaptation commission is established only on paper

In Kabardino-Balkaria, power agents actually refuse to participate in the work on adaptation. This was stated by Ruslan Eshugaov, the head of the Republic's Commission on adaptation of former militants.

Members of the public organization "Mothers of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic to Protect Citizens' Rights and Freedoms", who attended the event, shared his opinion.

One of the activists of the organization read out a joint letter and emphasized that the Commission on adaptation, working in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), "was established only on paper."

Rasul Kadiev: law enforcement officers themselves should be subjected to adaptation

In his speech, Dagestani lawyer Rasul Kadiev spoke of a number of shortcomings of the regional commissions on adaptation of former militants.

"Not only former members of IAFs, but also law enforcement agents themselves should be subjected to adaptation, since the armed conflict affected many law enforcement officers," the lawyer has emphasized.

According to him, in such circumstances they cannot be impartial in performing their duties. "Most members of the Commission are the leaders the of law enforcement agencies, with whom a surrendering person was fighting," Rasul Kadiev has noted.

Andrei Przhezdomsky: work is carried out in specific regions of Russian Federation and not at federal level

The project to establish the federal adaptation commission, which became the subject of discussion, was not approved by representatives of the law enforcement agencies. Andrei Przhezdomsky, the representative of the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC), was especially categorical in his statements.

"The commissions should work effectively in places, and then we will talk about the federal level," the representative of the NAC said.

According to him, members of the commission should meet former militants. "And it will be virtually impossible to do that here in Moscow," Andrei Przhezdomsky stated.

According to him, in the event of establishment of the adaptation commission at the federal level, there will be a risk of "creating an additional intermediate, which would not have the necessary information and would only slow down all processes."