Russia Accepted Part of the UN Recommendations on Counteraction to Xenophobia and Extremism

On June 10, 2009, Russian Federation, at the 11th session of the UN Human Rights Council, finished its report on Universal Periodic Review. In the beginning of the year, Russian NGOs introduced their short comments on the major paragraphs of the Review.

In February, the UN Human Rights Council introduced its recommendations to Russian Federation. Some of the recommendations were accepted, and some were declined.

We publish a table with the UN recommendations and Russian responses concerning issues of racism, xenophobia and extremism. Recommendations were introduced not by the Council itself, but by different member states (see in brackets).

| Recommendation | Russian Federation's Response | | 18. Revise relevant legislation particularly the federal law on countering terrorism and the law on extremism to ensure their compatibility with international obligations of the Russian Federation (Mexico) | Federal legislation on terrorism and extremism conforms to the international obligations accepted by Russian Federation and the doesn't have to be changed. | | 22. Take further necessary measures in fighting extremism (Turkey); Further step up efforts to punish and stop extremist crimes, counter racism and xenophobia, and promote greater respect and tolerance for cultural diversity in society (Philippines) | Russian Federation accepts this recommendation. | | 23. Develop a strong institutional framework that will help to combat racism and create an atmosphere of racial tolerance in Russian society (Ireland); Set up a national mechanism to counter the phenomena of racist violence and to gather reliable statistics in this regard (Belgium); Engage in active awareness-raising policy and systematically condemn racist and xenophobic violence (Belgium) | Fighting discrimination and extremism is an important task for the governmental political agenda. A strong institutional framework already exists of different governmental bodies, including law enforcements, to combat the most dangerous displays of discrimination, extremism and racism. This work is being done in constant and open dialog with the civil society. Russian Federation doesn't accept this recommendation. | | 24. Continue its positive work to combat racial discrimination and related intolerance (Algeria); Attention be paid to CERD's observation to strengthen the legislative framework in the area of nondiscrimination with a special attention to gender equality, ethnic minority, indigenous people and migrants regardless of their minority status (Mexico); Apply its current anti racism legislation in an effective way and take new structural measures specifically to counter discrimination (Belgium); Adopt a clear and comprehensive definition of racial discrimination in its legislation (New Zealand); Consider a comprehensive approach and specific programs to combat racist attacks and discrimination, especially with regard to the vulnerable position of migrants (The Netherlands) | Russian Federation accepts this recommendation. | | 25. Pay special attention to racially motivated crimes and strengthen its efforts to address them (Republic of Korea); Step up its efforts made to investigate acts of racial aggression (Switzerland) and to punish their perpetrators (Switzerland, Austria), and attack in a longstanding way the deep causes of this problem in the framework of reforms of justice (Switzerland); take further steps to fight discrimination and make sure that perpetrators of racist and hate crimes be held duly responsible for their crimes (Norway); Systematically collect data on racially motivated hate crimes (Austria) | Russian Federation accepts this recommendation. | | 28. Increase its efforts and take concrete policy measures in order to promote tolerance and nondiscrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgender persons (Sweden) | Russian Federation doesn't accept this recommendation, because in Russian Federation there is no policy of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. | | 41. Continue its positive measures for the protection of the dignity of the individual, freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Palestine) | Russian Federation accepts this recommendation. | | 42. Promote the rights of human rights defenders to freedom of expression, association and assembly; and to review the extremism and NGO laws to ensure their compatibility with international human rights obligations and standards including the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (Slovakia); Revise the Law against Extremism in such a way, that it would clarify the definition of extremism (The Netherlands); Consider a review of the NGO law taking into account, amongst others, the concerns expressed by United Nations rights bodies (The Netherlands) | In Russian Federation the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation was created, and within the framework of the Council there is a positive discussion with participation of representatives of NGOs, aimed to improvement of the legislation on non-governmental organizations, to bring it in line with the international law, considering UN recommendations. The government considers a possibility of changing the law to settle the taxation issue, to determine the procedure of communication with the governmental bodies, the issues of spreading information about NGOs in the society, the promotion of civil watch. Thus, Russian authorities accept and practically implement this recommendation. |

Sources:

• List of recommendations contained in Section II of the Report of the Working Group A/HRC/11/19 // Promoting and Strengthening the Universal Periodic Review.
• Соображения по выводам и/или рекомендациям, добровольные обязательства и ответы, представленные государством - объектом обзора (only in Russian) // Promoting and Strengthening the Universal Periodic Review.