“The Human Rights House Foundation submits this letter to you in order to express our deep concern for the five human rights defenders who were brutally attacked before the planned picket in Nazran, organized in memory of Anna Politkovskaya 16 October 2006”. Thus begins HRH-F’s protest letter to President Murat Magomedovich Zyazikov, the President of Ingushetia, right, after the 16 October attack in the capital Nazran. (20-OCT-06)
  

Murat Magomedovich Zyazikov
President of the Republic of Ingushetia


Oslo, 20 October 2006

Dear President Zyazikov,

The Human Rights House Foundation submits this letter to you in order to express our deep concern for the five human rights defenders who were brutally attacked before the planned picket in Nazran, organized in memory of Anna Politkovskaya 16 October 2006.

The Human Rights House Foundation is the secretariat of a Network of Human Rights Houses around the world. Many of the organizations in the Human Rights Houses gathered in their home cities and organised pickets in memory of Anna Politkovskaya, honouring the journalist who was killed in Moscow on the 7th of October 2006.

A group of people in Grozny and Nazran organized a memorial picket to be held on the 16th of October. The organizers notified the local authorities about the forthcoming pickets. While the meeting in Grozny went undisturbed, the Ingush authorities dispersed the peaceful picket in the centre of Nazran at 4 pm. A number of police servicemen and plainclothes officers physically attacked the assembled people, particularly those who held flowers and portraits of Anna Politkovskaya.

The human rights defender Ekaterina Sokirianskaya, from the Human Rights Center “Memorial” was severely beaten by a plainclothes officer. Five participants were detained, among them four staff members of the Human Rights Center “Memorial” (Albert Khultygov, Fatima Yandieva, Zoya Muradova and Zarema Mukusheva) and the chair of Mashr – Association of the Relatives of Missing Persons (Magomed Mutsolgov). The three women were held at the local police office (ROVD) until 11 pm and the two men till 0:50 am. Their request to see their lawyer was refused until the judge came late in the night.

According to Russian law, no authorization for carrying out a picket – contrary to public meetings and processions – is required. The disruption of the picket and the violent behaviour by the police is a breach of international obligations of the Russian Federation with respect to the right to freedom of assembly. As a member of the Council of Europe, the Russian Federation must uphold Article 11(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Human Rights House Foundation will inform the Norwegian delegation to the Council of Europe about the unacceptable behaviour of the police. As a member of the United Nations, the Russian Federation, must respect the UN General Assembly resolution 53/144, Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which states that:

everyone is entitled, individually and in association with others, to be protected effectively under national law in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts of violence perpetrated by groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (Art. 12.3)

We ask you to ensure that the incident is independently investigated, and that the results of the investigation officially announced. Moreover, we ask you to guarantee that the five human rights defenders will be provided with proper reparation and that the rights of human rights defenders will be duly respected in the future.


Sincerely, 

 

Maria Dahle
Director
Human Rights House Foundation

Copies have been sent to:

Russian President Vladimir Putin
The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Committee of Foreign Affairs in the Norwegian Parliament
The Norwegian Delegation to Council of Europe