April, 16 2009, 03:07pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
AIUSA media office,Email:,media@aiusa.org,Phone: 202-544-0200 x302
Normalization in Chechnya Must Bring Accountability, Urges Amnesty International
Normalization in Chechnya is not possible
without full accountability for the grievous human rights violations that
have taken place in the country ravaged by two wars in the last 15 years,
Amnesty International said today in response to the Russian authorities'
declaration of ending its "counterterrorism operation" there.
LONDON
Normalization in Chechnya is not possible
without full accountability for the grievous human rights violations that
have taken place in the country ravaged by two wars in the last 15 years,
Amnesty International said today in response to the Russian authorities'
declaration of ending its "counterterrorism operation" there.
"The true benchmark of a return to normality
is to give people what they have been wanting for over a decade--they want
the truth, and they want justice. They want to know the fate and whereabouts
of relatives and friends who are among the disappeared, and they want those
responsible brought to account" said Irene Khan, Amnesty International's
secretary general.
"Only thorough and independent investigations
into past and continuing human rights violations can bring normalization
and security in Chechnya. Such investigations will be a deterrent to future
violations.
"Opening the region to independent observers
and journalists would be a signal that the authorities there are ready
for transparency, but a change of status is absolutely meaningless without
the political will to change reality," added Khan
Over the years Amnesty International has
consistently investigated cases of human rights abuses, including war crimes,
committed by both the Russian federal forces, forces under the present
government of President Ramzan Kadyrov and Chechen armed groups. They include
indiscriminate killings, excessive use of force, deaths in custody, torture
and ill-treatment in custody, alleged unlawful killings, arbitrary detentions,
secret detention, abductions, enforced disappearances, threats to human
rights activists, the targeting of relatives of suspected fighters and
the forced evictions of internally displaced people.
The human rights organization has repeatedly
called for impartial investigations and for those found responsible to
be brought to justice. The investigations carried out so far by the authorities
are ineffective and have led to entrenched impunity in regards to abuses
committed by law enforcement agencies.
As far as is known to Amnesty International,
only one person has been convicted in relation to a case of enforced disappearance
and the fate of his victim remains unknown. Investigations into crimes
committed by armed fighters have been marred by allegations of torture
and ill-treatment of suspects and a blatant absence of respect for international
standards of fair trial.
Not being able to obtain justice in the Russian
Federation, people turn to the European Court of Human Rights for redress.
Many of those submitting cases face reprisals ranging from threats and
intimidation to disappearances. To date the European Court of Human Rights
has made rulings in about 100 cases concerning human rights violations
committed in the course of the conflict in Chechnya. In most of these cases,
the Court found Russia responsible for the death, torture or enforced disappearances
of people in Chechnya or for the failure to investigate such crimes.
"It is vital that Russia takes steps to
fully implement the rulings of the European Court, in particular in terms
of investigations of proven violations and measures to prevent violations
in the future," Khan said.
"Without true respect for the rule of law
from all sides, and a genuine commitment to address the festering legacy
left by the blatant failure of political will at all levels to prevent
and punish a catalogue of grievous abuses there can be no stability and
security for the people in Chechnya as well as in the rest of the Russian
Federation."
"Victims of human rights abuses in Chechnya
and in Russia as a whole have been waiting for years for justice and for
the authorities to reveal the truth about crimes committed during the counter-terrorist
operation. Now is the time to restore their rights."
Background
Chechnya declared independence from Russia
in 1991; there followed two major armed conflicts, the first, from 1994-1996,
which ended in de facto independence for Chechnya, and a second, which
began in 1999 and ended with the installation of a pro-Moscow government
in the region in 2003.
During the second armed conflict, between
3,000 and 5,000 people were subjected to enforced disappearance and many
more were killed during indiscriminate bombings, large-scale raids on settlements
or died after being taken hostage or as a result of explosions. No full
investigation, on either the national or international level into these
crimes has ever taken place.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning
grassroots activist organization with more than 2.2 million supporters,
activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human
rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates
and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice,
freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
Amnesty International is a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people - no matter who they are or where they are. We are the world's largest grassroots human rights organization.
(212) 807-8400LATEST NEWS
'We Cannot Let the Warmongers Win': US Progressives Reject Calls for Attack on Iran
"We must resist the U.S. becoming embroiled in another costly conflict abroad," said U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee.
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Progressives in the U.S. Congress on Sunday urged the Biden administration to resist calls for an attack on Iran following the country's
retaliation against Israel for the deadly bombing of Tehran's consulate in Syria earlier this month.
The hawkish rhetoric came from both sides of the political aisle in the U.S.—Israel's main ally and weapons supplier.
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), one of Congress' most fervent supporters of Israel's war on Gaza, claimed Iran is "the single most destabilizing force in the Middle East" and "must be held accountable for the aggression it has long shown toward Israel not only directly but also indirectly through proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis."
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), directing her message at President Joe Biden, was more explicit in demanding an immediate military response from the U.S.
"We must move quickly and launch aggressive retaliatory strikes on Iran," Blackburn wrote on social media.
The number two Republican in the U.S. House, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.),
said Saturday that the chamber would "move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable."
"The House of Representatives stands strongly with Israel, and there must be consequences for this unprovoked attack," Scalise added. "More details on the legislative items to be considered will be forthcoming."
"As leaders in Washington jump to call for war with Iran and rush additional offensive weapons to the Israeli military, we need to exercise restraint and use every diplomatic tool to de-escalate tensions."
Iran's launch of hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday marked its first direct assault on Israel, which has repeatedly engaged in covert attacks inside Iranian territory. On April 1, Israel bombed Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital, killing diplomats and a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander.
Iran said its retaliatory firing of missiles and drones—most of which were intercepted—was in line with international law. One person, a seven-year-old girl, was seriously injured in the attack.
Israeli officials immediately vowed revenge, a pledge that intensified global calls for restraint to prevent the regional war in the Middle East from spiraling further out of control.
As
The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw noted Sunday, the conflict "now involves at least 16 different countries," including the U.S., which "flew aircraft and launched air defense missiles from at least eight countries, while Iran and its proxies fired weapons from Iraq, Syria, and Yemen."
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), a vocal supporter of a cease-fire in Gaza, issued a statement Sunday condemning both Israel's attack on Iran's consulate and Tehran's response, which she said "threaten civilian lives and regional war."
"I also condemn the calls by members of Congress and others to initiate war with Iran; to do so without congressional authorization is blatantly unconstitutional," Bush said. "We cannot let the warmongers win; our country and our world are calling for restraint, de-escalation, a lasting cease-fire, and diplomacy. Our government must listen. That is how we save lives."
Bush urged the Biden administration to "take immediate steps, including at the U.N. Security Council and G7, to de-escalate and facilitate an immediate, lasting cease-fire in the region."
U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the lone congressional no vote against the war in Afghanistan, similarly called on the Biden administration to "lead efforts toward de-escalation, diplomacy, and securing a permanent cease-fire in Gaza."
"We must resist the U.S. becoming embroiled in another costly conflict abroad, but rather lead toward peace and security in the region," Lee added.
Axiosreported Sunday that Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly that the U.S. would not "support any Israeli counterattack against Iran." An unnamed official told the outlet that "when Biden told Netanyahu that the U.S. will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran and will not support such operations, Netanyahu said he understood."
Echoing her progressive colleagues, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
said Sunday that "as leaders in Washington jump to call for war with Iran and rush additional offensive weapons to the Israeli military, we need to exercise restraint and use every diplomatic tool to de-escalate tensions."
"Civilians in not only Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, and Iran but also Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen are bearing the brunt of this escalation, and there must be a cease-fire on all sides," said Omar. "I will continue to call for de-escalation, restraint, and lasting peace."
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The occupation came after over 150 people protested at the museum shortly before the gallery's opening last month. In response, an Adani representative claimed that the sponsorship—which has been condemned by climate action advocates since it was announced three years ago—was part of the company's effort to participate in the global energy transition. Ian Blatchford, director and chief executive of the Science Museum Group, defended the firm's involvement.
However, their comments didn't satisfy critics who participated in the weekend occupation. As Real Mediareported:
On Friday evening the activists smuggled in balloons and black paper which they used to create a large art piece—a mound of black coal—in the centre of the gallery. Their plan was to interact with the public on Saturday after their first night of occupation, including a People's Assembly to discuss the controversial sponsorship in the afternoon.
Police were called, but no arrests were made. However, perhaps embarrassed by the presence of the protest and their message about the climate-wrecking sponsors, the museum decided to prevent access to the gallery for the whole of Saturday, although supporters did come with more banners which they held near the entrance.
The protesters remained in the museum overnight on Saturday and ended their action on Sunday.
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The young people and scientists were joined by naturalist and television presenter Chris Packham, who gave a speech Friday night.
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Blasting Iran's Saturday attack on Israel as "another unacceptable turn in a dangerous escalation spiral," Win Without War executive director Sara Haghdoosti said that and U.S. President Joe Biden and senior administration officials "must use all their diplomatic heft and leverage to prevent further violence."
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Biden publicly reaffirmed "America's ironclad commitment to the security of Israel" but a White House official also confirmed to Reuters that during a call with Netanyahu, the president made clear the U.S. will not join any military offensives against Iran.
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Okail emphasized that "achieving those goals requires not only arresting the escalation of violence between Israel and Iran, but securing a cease-fire in Gaza that halts the killing of civilians, releases the hostages, allows vital humanitarian aid to actually reach those who need it, and lowers tensions in the region. The continued unconditional supply to the Netanyahu government of the arms it is using in Gaza undermines those objectives, as well as U.S. and international law."
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