Respect for Human Rights in Retreat

Declaration by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF)


Budapest, 21 November 2005 – Representatives of Helsinki Committees and other human rights organizations from throughout Europe, Central Asia and North America, meeting in Budapest for the General Assembly meeting of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) expressed their concern that human rights are in retreat in the OSCE region, with human rights defenders and civil society structures threatened especially in the name of preserving security.

A draft law under consideration in the Russian Federation would give the government unacceptable control over activities and financial transactions of independent organizations. The severest restrictions are imposed on international NGOs rendering many of their activities illegal. Ludmilla Alexeyeva, chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, said: “Eventually this law would paralyze a large number of national and international NGOs operating in the Russian Federation.” The IHF appeals to the State Duma not to accept this law, which is incompatible with international standards, and we appeal to President Putin not to sign the law should it be adopted by the Duma. The IHF also urges Russian authorities to halt persecution of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and other human rights groups seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis in the Chechen Republic and North Caucasus, and to monitor grave violations of human rights there.

The human rights community in Uzbekistan , seeking to document the May 2005 massacre of civilians in Andijan and its aftermath, has been subjected to unprecedented repression as “enemies of the state,” resulting in the detention and torture of members of IHF affiliate, the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, and other human rights groups. The IHF welcomes the sanctions adopted by the European Union but reiterates its appeal for further international pressure and for the deployment of all available bi-lateral and international mechanisms, including the Moscow Mechanism of the OSCE, to press Uzbekistan to uphold its international obligations and allow an international investigation into these unprecedented crimes.
 
Turkmenistan, a totalitarian state, prohibits independent human rights activities, but maintains normal relationships with members of the international community interested to retain trade and security cooperation, while conditions under which the isolated population exists continue to decline. The IHF appeals to the authorities of Turkmenistan to finally allow access of the International Red Cross to places of detention, following serious allegations of ill-treatment, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, and even deaths in detention of inmates kept in total isolation.  

Kazakhstan has consistently and egregiously violated OSCE principles but seeks the Chairmanship of the organization in 2009. With presidential elections approaching in an atmosphere where opposition parties are intimidated and harassed and peaceful assembly severely restricted, the work of human rights NGOs is essential. The IHF awarded its 2005 Recognition Award to Yevgeniy A. Zhovtis, head of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, noting that attempts to thwart his work and that of the organization he founded have not and will not overcome his positive energy and human rights commitment.

The situation of human rights and human rights defenders in Belarus deteriorates even further, with new legislation reducing the legal space for civil society and with virtually every independent media outlet having been shut down. It is almost impossible for human rights and other civil society groups to receive and use funds from foreign donors. The European Union should be more flexible regarding its strict funding and registration requirements if it wants to help the Belarusan civil society and make possible the implementation of human rights projects in that country.

In the Transdniestrian breakaway region of Moldova , the local “Ministry of State Security” poses severe restrictions on civil society, especially targeting human rights activities. The IHF has made this region an area of particular concern, expressing concern at the fact that a whole population on the Council of Europe territory is left without any European and international human rights protection.

Human rights defenders in Serbia , including Sonja Biserko, the chairwoman of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, are being subjected to more physical violence, threats and hate speech in the media than ever before, in an ideological campaign against critical voices in the civil society community. The IHF calls upon European governments to address this problem in their bi-lateral affairs with Serbia, and to raise this issue on the international level as to provide protection to Serbian human rights defenders at risk.

A retreat from firm commitments to human rights principles, exemplified by the approach toward torture by the US administration, give a “green light” to regimes that repress civil society under the pretext of combating terrorism. European institutions and governments have stepped up data retention and are planning other steps that invade privacy and threaten civil society groups. The “war on terrorism ” is allowing governments to restrict and subvert human rights organizations, based on a false contradiction between security and human rights. At the same time, a fundamental premise of the Helsinki process has been that attacking human rights threatens security everywhere. Out of serious concern for this dangerous trend, IHF members voted for making the issue of “Human Rights and Anti-Terrorism” the topic of its Annual Campaign for 2006.

For more information:

Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director, 43-676-635-6612 (mobile)
Henriette Schroeder, IHF Press Officer, 43-676-725-4829 (mobile)