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On September 29th, Judge Petr Shtunder of the Moscow City Court granted Igor Sutyagin’s motion for a jury trial. The jury selection will begin on November 3, 2003. This is the first time a treason case in the Russian Federation will be considered by a jury. Igor Sutyagin, a researcher from the U.S. and Canada Institute, accused by the Russian Security Service, FSB, of treason. Sutyagin denies any wrongdoing. (03-OCT-03)

The human rights violations in the Chechen Republic were the most urgent problems facing human rights movement in the Russian Federation in 2002. This document presents these and other human rights challenges in the Russian Federation, as well as a summary of activities in the Russian Research Center for Human Rights.  (26-FEB-03)  

Police torture suspects and disregard a rising tide of nationalist violence, while abuse of Chechen civilians rages unchecked – and Western governments are partly to blame for ignoring the problems, The Moscow Helsinki group said July 9. (30-JULY-02)
 

Donations received on special relieve accounts were not distributed among Kursk families. The Mother’s Right Foundation has filed a complaint to Reutov (Moscow Region) town Magistrate about the special Commission of the North Fleet. (30-JULY-02)
 
 

Human rights centre “Memorial” and Moscow Helsinki Group announced at a press conference that negotiation platform on the Chechen Republic has collapsed. The platform was set up at a Civil Forum as a regular meetings of NGOs (both Moscow and Chechen), prosecutors, FSB, the United military commanders, Chechen authorities and special human rights envoy in the Chechen Republic. (30-JULY-02)
 

Judges in the Russian Federation have begun sentencing petty offenders to community service as an alternative to prison in a pilot project aimed at exploring ways to relieve overcrowding in the country’s dilapidated prison system. (3-JULY-2002)
 

During his visit to Moscow George Bush made an important public speech. He stopped at the issue of the Chechen Republic, which is sensitive for the Russian Federation, by drawing parallels with operations in Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. (03-JULY-02)
 

With the crucial second reading on alternative Service scheduled for 14 June in the State Duma, human rights activists warned at the press conference on 29 May that the bill might be passed that makes alternative service not very different from military service. Several amendments give reasons for concern. (03-JULY-2002)
 

On 19 June, after four hours of heated debate, the Russian State Duma approved the government-backed bill on alternative military service in a crucial second reading. About 300 amendments – mostly from liberals – have been submitted to the Duma since the bill was passed in the first reading in April. However, the four pro-Kremlin centrist factions that form the Duma majority blocked the passage of most of them. (01-JULY-2002)