Press Release
Statement by the Luxembourg Presidency on behalf of the European Union regarding the Human Rights situation in Chechnya

Date of release : 23-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

During its intervention, on 23 March 2005, under item 9 (country situations) of the agenda of Commission on Human Rights 61, the Luxembourg Presidency, on behalf of the European Union, made the following statement regarding the Human Rights situation in Chechnya :

"Human rights violations in Chechnya remain a major source of concern in the human rights area. The European Union urges Russia to take all the measures necessary to put a stop to serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Chechnya and prevent any recurrence, in particular by bringing the perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. Close cooperation with all the human rights machinery of the United Nations, the OSCE and the Council of Europe would help to establish a starting point for a negotiated political solution to the conflict. It is essential to put an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, acts of torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention and abductions.

The European Union accordingly welcomes the constructive climate in which the first EU-Russia human rights consultations took place on 1 March 2005, and the commitments made by the Russian authorities.  These must be translated into firm measures for tangibly improving the human rights situation on the ground.  The European Union has noted with satisfaction that Louise Arbour has visited Moscow and been invited to go to Chechnya. It is pleased that this invitation has been extended to the Commission's Special Rapporteurs and to humanitarian organisations and calls on the Russian authorities to prepare the ground for these visits as soon as possible. Lastly, the European Union welcomes the willingness which the Russian authorities expressed during the consultations to implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, and their stated intention of protecting defenders of human rights and journalists."