Demonstration urges the Russian Federation to respect human rights

On 29 March the Norwegian Human Rights House in Oslo organised a demonstration with the slogan “Russia: Support human rights, don’t undermine them.” The demonstration, which was attended by some 60 people, took place in front of the Norwegian parliament where Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, right, at that moment had a meeting with the parliament’s president. (30-MAR-06)

This article is written by HRH / Ralph Pluimert. Pictures: HRH / Ralph Pluimert

The demonstration had a double message:
· Russia was urged to support democracy in Belarus instead of undermining it.
· Russia should respect freedom of expression and association in the Russian Federation itself and make sure that human rights violations in the Chechen Republic are investigated and that those responsible are brought to justice.
To illustrated the message, pictures were shown of people that have been arrested during the recent protests in Belarus, like journalist Andrej Dynko and of arrested Russian human rights defenders like Stanislav Dmitrievski, chief director of the Russian-Chechen Information Agency. Participants also carried several white-red-white Belarusian flags.

Speeches were given by
· Bjørn Engesland, on behalf of the Norwegian Human Rights House,
· Jon Lilletun, member of Krf (Christian Democratic Party),
· Ann-Magrit Austenå, Norwegian Union of Journalists
· Nina Witoszek, Solidaritet Europa
· Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Unge Høyre (youth division of the liberal-conservative party)

The protest was accompanied by a letter of the Norwegian Human Rights House to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in which he was urged to take up the mentioned topics during the visit. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had in the Norwegian media promised to do this. Fradkov, who told reporters that the Belarusian elections had taken place in a proper way, visited Norway to discuss the economic relationship between the two countries. In particular a possible Russian-Norwegian partnership in the exploitation of a gass field in the Barents Sea was high on the agenda. This partnership is extremely important for Norway’s economic future.