Feb 1, 2007
Reports of human rights organisations hearings of the International Commission of Jurists, 29-30 January 2007. This report was written and published by the human rights organisation Memorial in Moscow.
“It is generally accepted that the current trend towards the significant and often unjustified curtailment of human rights under the pretext of fighting terrorism followed from the attacks of September 11, 2001. However, Russia proved to be ahead of her time in this process—counterterrorist operations» began here a full two years earlier. There are few who remember today that Anti-terrorism Law was already needed in August 1999, shortly after Shamil Basaev’s invasion of Dagestan (that is, still before the attacks on residential properties in Russian cities). This allowed the government to use the armed forces and restrict citizens’ rights without the approval of parliament, still at that point an independent body.
Russia has now gone through eight years of «counterterrorism», including six on a global scale, and the time has come to evaluate the results. They are far from comforting: terrorism has not been vanquished. And indeed, a detailed examination of the techniques of combating
terrorism reminds us that «counterterrorism» was in fact used as a pretext for significant restrictions and violations of human rights in many countries long before September 11.
A set of hearings on January 29-30, 2007, was organized in Moscow by the International Commission of Jurists to bring the results of Russian «counterterrorism» to light. At these hearings victims both of terrorist attacks and «counterterrorist operations», witnesses and
experts provided testimony, and a number of Russian human rights organizations presented their own reports.
It appears the «Second Chechen War» is already history, but «counterterrorist operations» continue throughout the Northern Caucasus.”…
In this brochure we present two small reports. One addresses the «counterterrorist operation» in the Northern Caucasus—the time has come to evaluate the results and draw conclusions. The second gives an analysis of Russian «antiterrorist» legislation.”
Russia-counter terrorism practice-conference report-2007-eng (full text in English, PDF)
Nov 22, 2006 | Articles, Nouvelles
Karinna Moskalenko, avocate émérite et membre de la CIJ, a reçu la récompense annuelle de la Fédération internationale d’Helsinki pour les Droits de l’Homme.
Karinna Moskalenko, avocate émérite des droits de l’Homme de la Fédération de Russie et membre de la Commission internationale des juristes (CIJ), a reçu la récompense annuelle de la Fédération internationale d’Helsinki pour les Droits de l’Homme.
Cette distinction lui a été remise lors d’une cérémonie pendant l’Assemblée générale de la Fédération internationale d’Helsinki à Sofia le 16 Novembre 2006.
En lui remettant cette distinction, la Fédération internationale d’Helsinki a noté que “Karinna Moskalenko est l’une des avocates des droits de l’Homme les plus exceptionnelles dans le monde, qui a aidé de nombreuses victimes à lutter pour leur droits devant les tribunaux […]
Karinna Moskalenko s’est battue pour que les Russes aient accès aux principes internationaux de justice et les a aidé à porter leurs cas devant la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme. Sa force morale et intellectuelle, et sa personnalité humaine sont un don pour elle et pour la société russe. Ces qualités méritent la reconnaissance et non pas la persécution.”
Nov 22, 2006 | News
Karinna Moskalenko, a leading human rights advocate from the Russian Federation and ICJ Commissioner, was awarded the annual recognition award of the International Helsinki Federation.
The award was formally presented to Karinna Moskalenko during the General Assembly of the International Helsinki Federation in Sofia on November 16, 2006.
The International Helsinki Federation noted in its presentation of the award, that “Karinna Moskalenko is among the most outstanding human rights lawyers in the world, who has helped scores of victims in Russia fight for their rights in court. (…)
Karinna Moskalenko has insisted that Russian citizens have access to international standards of justice and has helped bring their cases to the European Court of Human Rights.
Her moral and intellectual powers and her humanistic personality are her gift, but also one to her society. That gift deserves recognition, not persecution.”
Nov 20, 2006 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
In its November 2006 written submission to this instance, the ICJ analyses the international law obligations of the United States in relation to renditions.
The ICJ also analyses the human rights obligations of European states which actively co-operate in renditions or secret detentions, or fail to take adequate steps to protect against them.
It concludes that, in light of the systematic nature of the breaches of norms of higher international law, including the prohibition against torture, involved in the system of renditions and secret detentions, there are obligations on European states, not only to refrain from co-operation with or recognition of this system, but to take co-operative measures to bring the situation to an end. The full submission is attached below.
Europe-European Parliament-CIA transportation detention prisoners-non-judicial submission-2006 (full text, PDF)
Jul 31, 2006 | News
The ICJ today expressed serious concern about a tax order made against the Centre, which may lead to its closure and comes after a pattern of harassment against this leading Russian human rights organization.
