The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) is appealing to the Russian government to allow UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, to visit its North Caucasus region on terms already agreed. (05-OCT-06)

Text: HREA.  Photos: www.ihf-hr.org

Nowak was due to carry out a fact-finding mission to the Russian republics of the Chechen Republic, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Kabardino-Balkaria on 9-20 October 2006. However, at a late stage in the preparations, the Russian government informed him that some of the terms of his mission were not compatible with Russian law, in particular with respect to conducting unannounced visits to places of detention and holding private interviews with detainees. Nowak had previously received assurances from the Russian government that these terms — which are among the standard guarantees required by UN special representatives undertaking fact-finding missions — would be respected.

Free access to detention facilities
The IHF believes that it is essential that the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture can freely access detention facilities and speak confidentially with detainees during visits to individual countries. This is the only way in which to obtain an accurate first-hand account of the local situation and formulate appropriate recommendations for improvements to the governments concerned.

Torture a growing problem
Research by the IHF and its Russian partners shows that torture is a growing problem in the North Caucasus as a whole and that such practices have assumed epidemic proportions in the Chechen Republic because of the climate of impunity that has been allowed to prevail in this republic over the past decade. The failure of the Russian government to cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture with respect to this region is therefore a serious setback for human rights.

IHF appeal
The IHF appeals to the Russian government to promptly reconsider its decision on this matter and to facilitate a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to the North Caucasus in a near future. In this way the Russian government would also demonstrate its commitment to upholding its obligations under the UN Convention against Torture.


Fore more information:www.hrea.org