Reaching the EU

According to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, the European Union, during the summit with Russia, should demand that it stop putting pressure on civil society and crimes in Chechnya. Such demands are contained in the organization’s statement issued on June 25.

According to human rights activists, to date the European Court of Human Rights has found Russia responsible for violations in Chechnya, including torture, disappearances and executions, in 34 cases. Human Rights Watch notes that the Russian government generally pays compensation regularly, but has taken no steps to stop it. According to the director of the Russian branch of the organization, Allison Gill, the question of respect for human rights in Russia must be raised right now, “when Russia is a key partner, and the European Union considers itself its friend.” “As a strong partner, Russia is able to listen to criticism and respond appropriately to it, and this is the basis on which we need to build relations with it,” Gill said.

Russian human rights activists also made a statement: in their opinion, the issues of human rights, the rule of law and democratic institutions should occupy a key place in the dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Russia. This is stated in the appeal of leading Russian human rights organizations to the participants of the Russia-EU summit. Among the organizations that signed the appeal are Memorial, the Moscow Helsinki Group, the movement for human rights and many others.

“Both sides should be interested in frank dialogue and effective practical cooperation on these issues. Superficial rhetoric and mutual accusations based on the principle of “an eye for an eye” are not at all what our people deserve and what they expect from their representatives,” the appeal says.

This year the Russia-EU summit is taking place in Khanty-Mansiysk on June 26-27.