Annual report of the State Department, presented by the State Secretary Hilary Clinton at the press-conference in Washington, devoted to the problems of human rights all over the world claims that in the Russian Federation, continuing centralization of power in the executive branch, a compliant State Duma, corruption in enforcement of the law, media restrictions, and harassment of some nongovernment groups eroded the government’s accountability to its citizens.
The situation with human rights in the Russian Federation is compared with that of Pakistan, the People´s Republic of China, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Turning to the troubled North Caucasus region, the report says Russian security forces reportedly engaged in killings, torture, abuse, violence, and other brutal or humiliating treatment, often with impunity. In the Chechen Republic, Ingushetia, and Dagestan, security forces were allegedly involved in unlawful killings and politically motivated abductions.
The authors touched upon many alerts from the Russian Federation, here are some quotes from the report:
‘International monitors claimed that the elections to the state Duma in December, 2007 were not open and transparent and disagree with international standards. The same features were characteristic of the presidential elections in March, 2008.’
‘During 2008 many alerts on human rights violations were received from Russia…’
‘The most problematic region is north Caucasus, where public authorities of Ingushetia and Dagestan face citizens` discontent of the current situation, and the Chechen Republic where the powers and security services headed by Ramzan Kadyrov kill, use tortures towards all the suspected in extremism….’
‘In August Russian army outran the Georgian borders, using inadequate forces, what caused numerous victims among the civilians….’
‘5 journalists were killed in the Russian Federation during 2008; neither clients nor contractors were brought to justice. Pressure over the owners of mass media, enforcement of journalists to self-censorship became everyday practice…’
‘Russia authorities proceed intensifying pressure over NGOs at all levels, closing them and interfering their activity under sophisticated pretexts….’
Commenting the report, the head of Russian Ministry of the External Affairs Sergei Lavrov claimed that ‘Russia is ready to discuss the problem of human rights in the country but under certain conditions’.
