The European Court has handed down the first judgement of a case stemming from Chechnya under Ramzan Kadyrov’s rule. The case regards Tamerlan Suleymanov, who was abducted in spring 2011. This shows that grave human rights violations and impunity in Chechnya has not ended with the armed conflict.
On 18 December, the European Court of Human Rights criticized Russia for systemic non-investigation of disappearances in Chechnya. The court also recommended measures to address continuing violations in the region. This was stated in a ruling in the case Aslakhanova and others v Russia, led by Civil Rights Defender’s partner, Russian Justice Initiative.
On 21 December 2012, Brussels is hosting a EU-Russia summit. After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize last week, the European Union has a special responsibility for focusing on human rights in its talks with Russia, says Civil Rights Defenders, along with a number of leading human rights defenders.
A new court case against Stanislav Dmitrievsky, Head of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, signals that Russian authorities continue to restrict the work of human rights defenders. Civil Rights Defenders calls for international attention to this case as this is yet another attempt to silence Stanislav Dmitrievsky and his organisation for their work against impunity in the North Caucasus.
On 22 November two police officers were sentenced to two years in prison for power abuse in Dagestan. “Although these cases have numerous shortcomings, the mere fact of court hearings against police officers is a positive step forward”, said Joanna Kurosz, at Civil Rights Defenders.
The Dagestani human rights lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova was awarded the Swedish government’s Per Anger Prize during a ceremony in Gothenburg on 12 November 2012. In this interview she talks about her hope that this award will contribute to increased protection for her and other human rights defenders in the region and to raise awareness about the critical situation in the North Caucasus.
A police officer in Ingushetia was sentenced to eight years in prison for torture this week, in the first trial of its kind in this south Russian republic. Earlier this autumn a police officer in Dagestan was sentenced to three years in a similar case. Despite big flaws these are landmark sentences in a region where impunity for grave human rights violations is persistent.
In May 2012, Vladimir Putin became President of Russia again. Since then, a series of laws that impede the work of human rights defenders have been adopted and in the North Caucasus the human rights violations continue. Civil Rights Defenders have gathered some of the most prominent experts on the North Caucasus to talk about how human rights are affected by Vladimir Putin’s return to Presidency.
The North Caucasian republic of Dagestan is one of the most dangerous places for lawyers in Russia today. In this region, Sapiyat Magomedova defends victims of grave human rights violations; like enforced disappearances, extra judicial killings and torture. She has taken on cases that many lawyers would reject due to security reasons, and althought it is considered almost impossible, she has won several of them.
On the night between 3 and 4 November, Stanislav Dimitrievski’s family was exposed to an attack in their home. Masked and heavily armed men crushed the windows, encased with lead, with a special hammer. They also squirted glue into the lock on the apartment door to prevent the family from escaping. This is yet another reminder of the horrific situation for human rights defenders in Russia.
The situation for citizens and human rights defenders in the North Caucasus continue to deteriorate; grave human rights violations turn everyday life into a nightmare. In November 2012, Civil Rights Defenders gathers about 20 of the key human rights defenders from the region to the North Caucasus Conference. During a few intensive days in Stockholm we develop strategies to improve their security and to increase the awareness among decision makers in order to create real change.
This year’s Per Anger-prize winner, Sapiyat Magomedov, is a human rights lawyer from Dagestan. In a context where the perpetrators seldom or never are brought to justice, she represents cases where people have been raped, tortured or murdered. In an opinion piece, published in Swedish newspaper SvD, Civil Rights Defenders and the Living History Forum presents Sapiyat Magomedova.
The human rights lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova has been awarded the Swedish Government’s Per Anger Prize. In the violent Dagestan, she defends victims of grave human rights violations. She has taken on cases that many lawyers would reject due to security reasons. And she has won legal cases in a context where it is almost impossible to do so. For people in the region she has become a symbol of courage.
On 18 October the human rights organisation Mothers of Dagestan celebrates five year as an organisation. This organisation places itself on the victim’s side in the armed conflict between the Russian government forces and the separatists and has been a partner of Civil Rights Defenders for several years.
Tanya Lokshina, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch in Moscow, has received a number of text messages to her mobile phone, which contained direct and indirect threats against her. The messages, received in the period September 28-30, included references to very personal details known only to Tanya and a few persons around her. The purpose was evidently to obstruct her work.
In a letter sent to the Acting Minister of interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika, Civil Rights Defenders and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee express their deepest concern about the security situation of Igor Kalyapin, the chairman of Committee Against Torture and urge the authorities to respect right to physical integrity.
Igor Kalyapin, chairman of Civil Rights Defender’s partner CAT, has been accused of disclosing state secrets. It is the third time that criminal proceedings are instigated against him. “It is obvious that the Russian authorities in Chechnya have a lot to hide when they attack human rights defenders that investigate serous human rights abuses in the republic”, said Joanna Kurosz at Civil Rights Defenders.
Natalia Estemirova was one of the leading human rights defenders in the North Caucasus. Working for Civil Rights Defender’s partner, Human Rights Centre Memorial, she investigated cases of grave human rights violations in Chechnya. In 2009 she was murdered. Her death is most likely connected to her human rights work, which many considered put her at risk.
In the beginning of May, Civil Rights Defenders brought two members of the Swedish Parliament, Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin and Björn von Sydow, to North Caucasus. Via the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly they have now asked about Russia’s responsibilites for people who have disappeared and the lack of protection of human rights defenders.
Civil Rights Defenders is greatly concerned about the security situation of Mr. Magomed Mutsolgov, head of the human rights organisation MASHR, and his colleagues. The Russian government must fulfill its responsibility to protect human rights defenders against any violence, retaliation and intimidation as a consequence of their work.
Three human rights lawyers from our partner the Joint Mobile Group were verbally abused by the Chechen authorities on June 1. In a letter sent to the Acting Minister of Interior and Prosecutor General in Russia, Civil Rights Defenders and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, express serious concern over the safety of human rights defenders in Chechnya who are working in a culture of fear.
In a letter to the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation we express our concern over the threats that were directed at Mr. Rustam Matsev in Kabardino-Balkaria on May 31. We urge the Russian authorities to ensure that violence or intimidation against human rights defenders in Russia are fully and impartially investigated.
1 June 2011 three men were convicted by the Vienna Landesgericht to long prison sentences for the killing of Chechen exile Umar Israilov, who was shot on the streets of Vienna in January 2009. Civil Rights Defenders urges the Austrian authorities to demand extradition of the murder suspect who remains a fugitive of justice.
Civil Rights Defenders has sent a letter to the Russian Prosecutor General to urge him call for a thorough and impartial investigation into the beating of Dagestani human rights lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova.
Two members of the Swedish Parliament, Marietta de Pourbaix-Lundin and Björn von Sydow, accompany us on a monitoring trip to the North Caucasus. By meeting human rights defenders they will be briefed on the human rights violations in the region.
Late evening on March 24 the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society was attacked by two unknown persons who tried to set their office in Nizhny Novgorod on fire. Overall the situation for human rights defenders in the city has aggravated since the Duma elections in December 2011.
In the week prior to the Russian presidential election, a number of human rights defenders in the North Caucasus were subjected to harassment, threats and violence. “They struggle to put an end to the prevailing impunity at the same time as they are persecuted by the authorities”, said Ninke Liebert at Civil Rights Defenders.
Listen to Stanislav Dmitrievsky, chair of the Russian-Chechnya Friendship Association, and Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders, speak about the possibilities to identify and bring war criminals to the court.
Due to illness we have to cancel the seminar on February 22. We apologise for this!
Five years have passed since Svetlana Isayeva’s, at that time, 25-year old son ”disappeared”. In Dagestan, where the war against terrorism affects an increasing number of civilians, Svetlana, together with at group of others who have also lost someone dear, founded Mothers of Dagestan for human rights; an organisation that is on the victim’s side in the armed conflict between the Russian government forces and the separatists.
On January 20, the criminal proceeding for libel against Oleg Orlov, Chairman of our partner Memorial, was discontinued. “We welcome the fact that libel has been decriminalised in Russia, which prevents similar proceedings against human rights defenders in the future”, said Joanna Kurosz, Programme Director at Civil Rights Defenders.
Igor Kalyapin, chairman of our Russian partner Committee against Torture, has been accused of disclosing state secrets and risks several years in prison if he will be trialed. “Igor Kalyapin is among the most courageous human rights defenders in Russia today, said Joanna Kurosz at Civil Rights Defenders.
On December 15th the founder of the Dagestani independent newspaper Chernovik, Gadzhimurad Kamalov, was shot to death by a masked gunman. The murder represents yet another serious blow to independent journalism and freedom of speech in the violent republic of Dagestan.
In the North Caucasus impunity for grave human rights violations, committed by law enforcement agents on the pretext of combating terrorism, is widespread and requires prompt and independent investigations. Together with the Interregional Committee Against Torture we support the Joint Mobile Group, whose members travel to Chechnya to monitor and investigate the most serious human rights violations.
The North Caucasus has remained the most troubled region in Russia in regard to human rights. The long-term goal for our cooperation with Russian Justice Initiative (RJI) is to combat impunity for human rights abuses in Chechnya and the North Caucasus, and to promote respect for rights enshrined in the Russian Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Our colleagues in the North Caucasus risk their lives to defend the rights of others. One of our most important tasks is to improve their security situation, as well as the security of other human rights defenders around the world.
Human rights defenders in the North Caucasus live in constant danger. In 2009 Natalia Estemirova was murdered because of her work. Her collegue Oleg Orlov risked prison because he accused the Chechnyan President Ramzan Kadyrov of being responsible for her murder. Kadyrov had threathened Estemirova earlier. Through our Emergency fund will we be able to offer support in specifically vulnerable and urgent situations.
On October 7 it has been five years since the murder of Anna Politkovskaja and no one has been convicted. “The Russian authorities send very clear signals that you should not dig into irregularities if you don’t want to get in trouble”, said Robert Hårdh, in an interview with Göteborgsposten.
In collaboration with Memorial Human Rights Center, Civil Rights Defenders monitor human rights violations and provide legal aid to victims and their family members in order to end impunity and strengthen the rule of law in the North Caucasus.
On June 1 the Criminal Court in Vienna sentenced three men for murder of the Chechen refugee Umar Israilov who was assassinated in Vienna on January 13 in 2009.The trial highlights the prevalence of violence and the arbitrariness in the Chechen judiciary.
A coalition of human rights organisations, among them Civil Rights Defenders, regrets Russia’s lack of cooperation with the Austrian judiciary, in the case against the alleged murderers of Chechen refugee Umar Israilov. A verdict is expected June 1st.
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Stockholm on April 27. In connection to his visit we urge Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt to discuss with him the difficult situation that human rights defenders in Russia are facing. During the 2009 EU summit Reinfeldt raised this issue with President Medvedev and there is cause for [...]
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Stockholm on April 27. We urge Sweden’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt to discuss with him the difficult situation that human rights defenders in Russia are facing. During the 2009 EU summit Reinfeldt raised this issue with President Medvedev and there is cause for a follow-up.
Russian authorities need to investigate a case of disappearance and torture in Chechnya and punish those responsible, Human Rights Watch, Front Line, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Civil Rights Defenders said today.
Our cooperation with the Russian Justice Initiative has so far resulted in 100 convictions against Russia in the European Court of Human Rights. Overall, Russia has been convicted 160 times for gross human rights violations in the North Caucasus. Most cases that we have conducted in the European Court date from 2002. But the brutality [...]
The European Court has found Russia responsible for the deaths of two Chechen men and the disappearance of one. These two latest verdicts mean that Russia has been convicted of serious human rights violations in 100 cases, as a result of our cooperation with Russian Justice Initiative.
Together with a group of human rights organisations we urge the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to follow-up on the human rights situation in the North Caucasus.
In recent years, Islamist insurgents have been particularly active in Dagestan. On March 29 two suicide attacks were carried out in the Moscow metro in the middle of morning rush hour, killing 40 people and wounding dozens; the suicide bombers were from Dagestan. In response, the authorities have continued to commit serious violations of basic [...]
The cooperation between Russian Justice Initiative and Civil Rights Defenders aims at highlighting the failure of the rule of law in Russia by taking legal approaches to secure legal remedies and reparations for victims of serious human rights abuses committed during the conflict in Chechnya and other North Caucasus republics, such as extraordinary killings, torture and enforced disappearances.
Human rights defenders in the North Caucasus live under constant threat. They fear for their lives and the lives and health of their families. Civil Rights Defenders has initiated the Stockholm Process so that they can continue their important work.
Civil Rights Defenders has adopted a resolution on the establishment of the Natalia Estemirova Documentation Center together with a group of nine leading Russian and international human rights organizations.
The European Court of Human Rights has found Russia responsible for the disappearance and torture of a Chechen man detained at his home by Russian federal troops in year 2000. The victims family was awarded 106,000 EUR in respect of material and moral damages.
During 2009 the human rights situation in North Caucasus worsened significantly and in order to maintain presence on the ground, a group of human rights NGOs decided to organize mobile visits to the region, especially Chechnya, monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. Human rights defenders will be offered training in security awareness when going on missions to North Caucasus.
Documentation of human rights violations is crucial in the struggle to put an end to impunity and to strengthen the rule of law. In cooperation with Memorial we now seeks to establish an archive of human rights violations, consisting of all of their collected materials in North Caucasus.
People in Chechnya must not be left without access to justice. In a joint statement with several other human rights organisations we underline our obligation to continue to act against human rights violations in the North Caucasus and to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
Civil Rights Defenders is one of the organisers of the Human Rights Forum, Scandinavia’s largest forum for human rights. During this years event we will participate with the exhibition Our Rights and arrange several seminars on different topics. Civil Rights Defenders program for Human Rights Forum: Monday November 16 11.00-11.30: Film “Missing Lives: Disappearance and [...]
Oksana Tjelysjeva är verksam inom Rysk-tjetjenska vänskapsförbundet och kolumnist för den oberoende tidningen Novaja Gazeta. Usam Bajsajev arbetar för den ryska människorättsorganisationen Memorial, som i år tilldelats det prestigefulla Sacharovpriset. Ingmar Oldberg är Rysslandsexpert och associerad forskare vid Utrikespolitiska institutet. Robert Hårdh är chef för Civil Rights Defenders. Martin Uggla är ordförande i Östgruppen för [...]
Despite an extremely vulnerable security situation in the North Caucasus, there are courageous people who dare to stand up for the rights of others – without a thought of their own safety. Read about the situation in North Caucasus in: Human rights at risk in North Caucasus
Some of Russia’s leading human rights defenders gathered in Stockholm to discuss the situation in North Caucasus. Read their recommendations to the EU and the Swedish Presidency.
This month’s seminar is temporarily moved to the afternoon and The Royal Coin Cabinett (Myntkabinettet)! Since this summer the human rights situation in North Caucasus has deteriorated dramatically. After the murder of the prominent human rights defender Natalja Estemirova in July, harrasments of human rights defenders have increased and several people have been murdered. Who [...]
Maksharip Aushev, former opposition leader and former owner of dissident website Ingushetia.ru, was killed today in Kabardino-Balkaria.
The pressure on russian human rights activists are increasing. On Tuesday a court in Moscow sentenced the human rights organization Memorial and it’s Director Oleg Orlov for defamation of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. Memorial and Oleg Orlov will have to pay 70 000 rubles, about 18 000 SEK. – The sentence against Orlov and Memorial [...]
In Moscow, the first court hearing is held today against Oleg Orlov, chairman of the Russian human rights organisation Memorial. The trial against Orlov is brought by the Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, who is suing Orlov for 10 million rubles (approximately 2,5 million SEK) for the statements Orlov made following the murder of Natalia Estemirova. [...]
The famous award-winning human rights defender Natalia Estemirova was kidnapped this morning in the vicinity of her residence in Chechnya’s capital Grozny. She was forced into a white car and driven away by unknown persons. Natalia Estemirova is a leading activist in the Russian human rights organization Memorial, which is a partner of the Swedish [...]
The Russian government must follow the principles of rule of law even when combating serious crimes, seven human rights organisations, including the Swedish Helsinki Committee, says in a joint statement. The organisations urge the authorities to take effective measures to prevent human rights violations after the recent unrest in the Caucasus. In June, the Interior [...]
Of the 163 cases reported up until now by The Swedish Helsinki Committee and The Russian Justice Initiative (RJI) to The European Court of Justice , 36 have been resolved, 25 of them in 2008. In all the cases, the judgement has been that Russia is guilty of gross violation of human rights in northern [...]
Natasha Jevtic Esbjörnson
Phone: +46 76 576 27 62
His burnt body was returned to the family in a plastic bag. The European Court has found Russia responsible for human rights violations in the North Caucasus, in more than one hundred cases, as a result of our work.
(Photo: Joanna Kurosz)
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