15 November 2006, 22:06
Russia and European Union discussed human rights violations in North Caucasus
On November 8, the fourth round of regular Russia-EU consultations on human rights was held in Brussels. Russia was represented by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
Svetlana Gannushkina, a Board member of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" and chairperson of the Committee for Helping Refugees "Civil Assistance," who was in Brussels on November 7-9 in the delegation of Russian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), told the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" that the sitting of diplomats took place behind the closed doors. The Russian MFA repeatedly rejected all the proposals of the European Union to admit human rights NGOs to the negotiations.
According to Ms. Gannushkina, at the meeting of Russian and international NGOs with the members of the EU delegation that preceded the RF-EU consultations, human rights activists paid special attention to the crisis problems with human rights in Chechnya and North Caucasus, situation in the penitentiary system, tortures in law enforcement bodies, status of NGOs, prosecution of Moslems, anti-Georgian campaign, situation with enforcement by the RF of its international obligations within the basic international treaties in the sphere of human rights, the "Demos" Information-Analytical Centre reports; Tatiana Lokshina, its chairperson, also took part in the meeting with European politicians.
Author: Vyacheslav Feraposhkin, CK correspondent
