The Russian Research Center for Human Rights subscribed to the Statement of Russian Non-Governmental Human Rights Organizations called the states and international and non-governmental organizations to make urgent arrangements for protecting human rights and resolving the conflict in Georgia. (12-SEP-08)

Human rights must become a priority for international efforts to resolve the conflict in Georgia
1. Practical protection of human rights should become one of the main tasks of the entire European community after the August crisis in the territory of Georgia. This is especially important in the post-Soviet space where there is still no rule of law and basic standards of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms are not carried out. Public opinion now is focused on the problems of sovereignty and self-determination but we but we consider important to stress the priority of human rights and the inadmissibility of their violations and necessity for urgent actions on restoration of the rights of victims.

2. Responsibility for what has happened lies on all parties to the conflict. The degree of responsibility and guilt for concrete violations of international law should be a subject of serious international investigation. Thus, inattention of Europe to continued for many years confrontation contributed to the tragic turn of events. Obviously, national and regional human rights system – including many European mechanisms – were not truly engaged in “hot spots” in the former Soviet Union and failed to prevent a severe humanitarian and legal crisis in South Ossetia and its adjacent areas.

3. From our point of view urgent arrangements in this situation are:

• International monitoring the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons in proper territory of Georgia and self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia and Abkhazia through personal presence of humanitarian missions on the ground.
• Provide assistance to affected civilians including especially those who can not yet return to their homes without international assistance.
• Provide forces European organizations and States of assistance for facilitating mediation in ensuring security, respect for humanitarian law, stopping violence and destruction of property, in the release of forcibly detained combatants and civilians, eliminate other consequences of conflict.

4. It is necessary to make an early legal assessment of what has happened and interstate and speedy consideration of international and individual complaints to the European Courts. Legal assessment should precede political decisions of institutions of the Council of Europe, OSCE, the European Union and the UN.

5. To realize the above it is necessary to maintain and strengthen mechanisms of interaction on human rights between States, international and non-governmental organizations, other entities interested in ensuring the international rule of law.

7 September 2008

The Human Rights Centre “Memorial”
Moscow Helsinki Group
Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights
Informational Analytical Center “SOVA”
International Youth Human Rights Movement
Institute of Human Rights
The Public Verdict Foundation
”GOLOS” Association
Civic Assistance Committee
The DEMOS Center
“Right of the Child” Organization
Chechen Committee of National Salvation
The “For Human Rights” Movement

http://hro1.org/node/3011