03 October 2008, 10:59
Committee against Torture: in Chechnya, tortures are widespread
The Council of Europe is dissatisfied with low efficiency of Russia's internal investigation of the incidents, which make the grounds for filing complaints by residents of the Chechen Republic to the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg.
This is the topic of the report of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on enforcement by Russia of European Court's decisions on the so-called "Chechen cases", presented at the 1035th session of the Committee of Ministers, dedicated to enforcement of the European Court's decisions. The Russian Federation was offered to continue cooperation with the Committee of Ministers in this direction.
At the same time, the Committee of Ministers has noted with satisfaction the positive changes in taking measures by Russia to eradicate tortures and kidnappings in the Chechen Republic, runs the statement of the Interregional Committee against Torture that arrived to the "Caucasian Knot".
In its turn, the Committee against Torture has also prepares the report entitled "Tortures and Peculiarities of Official Investigation of Them in the Chechen Republic. Stand of the European Court for Human Rights on the situation with human rights in the Chechen Republic.
The Committee notes that after 2006 Chechnya witnesses an essential drop in the number of applications against workers of federal forces. However, local law enforcers came in their stead. "Residents of Chechnya less complain of disappearances and murders, but tortures continue to be used," the document marks.