It so happened that Medvedev’s visit coincided with Oslo Freedom Forum, an international conference for human rights defenders. Hence, among the protesters were high profile Russian human rights activists like the former Chess master Garri Kasparov and the Rafto laureate Lidia Yusupova. A number of refugees from the Russian regime were also there, together with staff and sympathisers of the three organisations behind the initiative.
-We shall show Medvedev that the international community is seriously concerned about the massive violations and increasing suppression of opposition that his government is responsible for, said Bjørn Engesland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), in a press release yesterday.
Allegations of torture, suspicious deaths in police custody, and not the least the many cases of people ‘disappearing’ after being arrested by Russian security forces, are very rarely investigated. Russian human rights defenders, environmental activists and lawyers are regularly attacked. Several have paid with their lives for their commitment. Freedom of expression is severely curtailed, and NGOs are subject to serious limitations to their work. Many of the biggest and worst human rights violations in the Russian Federation are committed in relation to so-called anti-terror measures, particularly in North Caucasus.
-President Medvedev says he wants people in the Russian Federation to feel safe. But such a situation can only be created with human rights and the rule of law as its foundation, not by letting security forces roam with almost guaranteed impunity, says Ina Tin, Amnesty International’s Director of Information.
-We expect the Prime Minister to make it clear to President Medvedev that for as long as the Russian Federation wants to be respected internationally, it also has to observe international standards with regards to human rights and democracy, concluded Maria Dahle, Executive Director of the Human Rights House Foundation.
Video from the demonstration:
Watch live footage of the demonstration here
