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Tragedy of the Chechen refugees
On the 3rd of June 2005, at around 15:00, military personnel from OMON led an unauthorized operation to detain suspects who helped militants in the Chechen Region of stanitsa Borozdinovskaya. They blew up the houses of local inhabitants, made the men sit in cars and took them to the local school. The Soldiers made people lay face down on the ground and pulled their shirts over their heads. Military personnel beat everybody, even teenagers, elderly people and handicapped, on their feet and with the butt of their guns. Soldiers kept people in the rain till late evening. At 21:00 Military personnel took eleven people, who have still not been found. (30-JUNE-05)
Russian NGOs are being oppressed by authorities
The Ministry of Justice slowed down the activity of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and its partner organization Nizhniy Novgorod Human Rights Society. Russian NGOs are always being watched by Russian authorities, in particular those who criticize the government. Russian authorities try to find any reason to close those organizations that have their own opinion, because they see them as a threat. (27-JUNE-05)
Children’s rights in Russia
The number of homeless children and orphans in the Russian Federation reached 700 thousand by the end of 2002 (according to Russian Children’s Fund). This number is comparable to the number of orphans following the Second World War. (11-JUNE-05)
The Yukos case is finished
Mikhail Khodorcovsky, former head of the Yukos oil firm, and his business partner Platon Lebedev were found guilty and sentenced to nine years in prison. The case against Mr. Khodorkovsky was founded on charges including theft of someone else´s property by fraud, causing property damage by fraud, tax evasion and insurance theft involving large amounts of money, embezzlement and forgery of official documents. (2-JUNE-05)
The demonstration for Free Speech
On this Sunday, 22nd of May, in Moscow a demonstration against censorship occurred near the television centre of Ostankino initiated by the party “Yabloko”. Protester’s put on masks, which covered their mouths, reading “Shut Off” and held placates demanding more freedom for the Russian mass-media. (27-MAY-05)
Increasing racism in Russia: 16 murders in eight months
Moscow: Sixteen murders committed by racists and nationalists were registered in the Russian Federation in eight months of 2004, according to a new report from the Moscow bureau for Human Rights. The terrorist act in Beslan started a new wave of hatred towards foreigners and people of non-Russian heritage. (23-MAY-05)
The meeting of President George Bush with the Representatives of Russian NGOs in Moscow
On May 9, 2005, during his visit to the Russian Federation for participation in the Victory Day Ceremony, President Bush met representatives of Russian non-governmental organizations, in particular human rights and ecological ones. There were 18 people from all over the Russian Federation and the American president had a brief talk with everyone. (14-MAY-05)
Neostalinism starts in Russia
“The rehabilitation of Stalin can’t be allowed”, – members of society express their resentment.
Russian society is insulted by the decision of the councils of many towns of the Russian Federation to place a monument to Stalin. A lot of representatives from the Russian scientific and liberal intelligentsia wrote, to no avail, a letter to Mr. Putin to not allow the placement of Stalin´s monument anywhere in the Russian Federation. (09-MAY-05)