Russia’s receives a very low Freedom Rating. According to human rights activists, the year 2006 is characterized by frontal attack on human rights and democracy in the Russian Federation that developed into general revenge of authoritarian-police regime against rights and freedoms earlier declared on paper. However, President Putin rejects accusations of human rights violations. (13-FEB-06)

Text: HRH/Moscow, by Yanina Savenko. Sources: freedomhouse.org, cpj.org, svobodanews.ru, moscowtimes.ru. Photos: vzglyad.ru, blog.kz              

According to Freedom House’s annual survey of political rights and civil liberties the Russian Federation received the exact same rating in 2006 as it did in 2005 – a 6 for political rights and 5 for civil liberties (a scale of 1 to 7, with the lowest score being 7.) the Russian Federation has been included in the Not Free category since 2004, as a function of the systematic erosion of rights, including the flawed nature of Russia’s parliamentary elections in December 2003 and presidential elections in 2004, the further consolidation of state control of the media, and the imposition of official curbs on opposition political parties and groups within that country. Nowadays, main threats to human rights in the Russian Federation are virtual absence of mass media freedoms, liquidation of multi-party democracy, all-embracing corruption, and persecutions on ethnic and confessional grounds. 

the Russian Federation is close to North Korea and Libya
In the latest, 2006 survey, Freedom House did note with concern that the independent media, civil society groups and political opposition, among other independent actors, have come under further repression from the Russian authorities. A total of 45 countries are in the Not Free category this year. North Korea and Libya are given the lowest possible scores within that category, a 7 for political rights and civil liberties. These two therefore are considered among the world’s most repressive regimes.

democratator Putin‘Democratator’ is ruling the Russian Federation
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warns that the rise of ‘democratators’ in the Russian Federation and Venezuela is an alarming new model for government control of press. “The democratators tolerate the facade of democracy – a free press, opposition political parties, an independent judiciary – while getting it from within”, said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. According to CPJ, Russian President Vladimir Putin embodies an example of sophisticated elected leader who uses laws to control, intimidate and censor the media.

Russian official leaders are preparing a counterattack
The Public Chamber and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation expressed deep indignation Kucherenaabout the report of international human rights organization Freedom House. Public Chamber members believe some western human rights organizations are biased against the problem of human rights observance in the Russian Federation. Furthermore, member of the Public Chamber lawyer Anatoliy Kucherena decided to initiate an establishment of non-governmental organization aimed at controlling human rights and fundamental freedoms observance in the western countries. “We used to tolerate that international observers have been mainly criticizing the Russian Federation and  pointing out the defects only in our country. Shouldn’t we examine the problem of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the USA and Europe?” said Kucherena. President Putin also stressed that accusing the Russian Federation of human rights violations is an instrument of influence over the Russian Federation. “Western partners believe they have the right to impose their standards on other countries”, said Putin.

Human rights activists express their opinion about the Public Chamber reaction
“If we really would like to help the international human rights community I think we’d better pay attention to those countries where situation with human rights is worse than in the Russian Federation, such as North Korea and Turkmenistan. Especially because our authorities are in good relations with these countries and so, they could come to an agreement. But for some reason our Ministry of Internal Affairs prefers mainly to worry about Russians’ status in the Baltic countries, where life is pretty good for them, and not about the Russians in Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan where people really suffer and are deprived of civil rights”, said leader of Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alekseeva.