On December, 10th , the International Day of Human Rights, the Second All-Russian Congress on Protection of Human Rights stated that the situation in the country had drastically deteriorated. It was the first time leaders of human rights movement called human rights activists to take part in pre-election campaign together with all oppositional forces, including communists.  (17-DEC-06)

Text: HRH/ Moscow, by Yanina Savenko. Sources: www.demos-center.ru, http://zaprava.ru, http://religion.sova-center.ru, www.hro.org. Photos: gazeta.ru, hro.org

In January 2001 the Extraordinary All-Russian Congress on Protection of Human Rights took place in Moscow. It was the first time that human rights activists discussed in detail main public problems arisen in the Russian Federation after Putin had come to power. Then a threat to the whole complex of human rights and civil freedoms was stressed. Six years ago the Congress defined general human rights activists’ stands on wide range of questions and appealed to civil society to consolidate and to establish “civil nonpolitical opposition” as well.  This year the second All-Russian Congress stated that the situation in the country with human rights had obviously changed for the worse. Besides, there was general agreement that there is a necessity of human rights activists’ participation in political life of the country. 

In the country at present delegates
– In recent years suits, initiated by security service on orders of country’s political authorities, have been fabricated  in the Russian Federation (as it was in the USSR); now spying fever is in full swing. In the country, considering itself as democratic, genuine political prisoners have appeared.  Xenophobia is thriving; persecutions on ethnic grounds have become common. Nowadays in the Russian Federation more than 70 percent of high posts are occupied by people from security service; criminality and corruption have reached unprecedented level. Civilized electoral system, as well as independent court, are nonexistent in the country. Under Putin’s rule 120 journalists were killed.  Scientists, ecologists, journalists, natives of Caucasus and former Asia republics are subjected to groundless persecutions. Beatings and tortures have become normal. Non-governmental organizations are presented as foreign spy agents. Conditions of NGO’s work became much more severe, – stressed Congress delegates.

Congress decisions
The Congress adopted resolutions “On political persecutions”, “Anti-fascism and counteraction to xenophobia”, “For freedom of conscience, secular state and education”, “On religious education in state schools” and others.  This year special attention was paid to social-economical rights. High level of social rights violations – including predatory character of the housing and communal services reform,  benefit’s monetization, medical care and education commercialization – leads to violation of such fundamental constitutional human rights as right to life, right to living quarters and right to participation in public life. The Congress participants decided to press for Russia’s ratification of the European Social Charter. Besides, the delegates decided that it’s necessary to cancel the new NGO Law as it is contrary to the Russian Federation Constitution and to the universally recognized international law regulations. Furthermore, a need to develop new forms of public control over Russia’s closed institutions was discussed.

Human Rights Congress appealed to unite against regime
A special feature of the Congress was communists’ participation. Moreover, representatives of Alexeeva Ludmila the Communist Party expressed the willingness to support human rights activists. Some Congress leaders, including Ludmila Alekseeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, appealed to the human rights community to take part in establishment of a united pre-electoral coalition for preparing a common democratic list for parliamentary elections and nominating a common candidate for presidential elections. “We appeal to advocates of democracy to put up a united front. We appeal to human rights activists to take an active part in the work of local governmental bodies and regional authorities and to participate in elections as candidates from different political parties”, said Alekseeva. These questions were discussed at the Third All-Russian Civil Congress, which was held on December, 11-12 in Moscow. Representatives from oppositional political parties, mass media, independent business and human rights movements took part in the Civil Congress. However, they didn’t manage to come to an agreement.