June 20, 2005

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Russia.

Brief description of the facts:

The Observatory has been informed by the Association of Soldiers' Mothers of Saint-Petersburg, that their office was broken into and robbed during the night of June 3rd and early hours of June 4th, 2005.

According to the information received, the authors of the break-in succeeded in entering the offices after digging a hole in a wall, in the basement of the building. When arriving to the office on June 4, 2005, in the morning, a member of the Association discovered that the door was opened from inside. The assailants took three telephones, one fax machine, one LCD screen, two USB-keys, which contained information on monitoring activities, and opened a safe in which they took a video-camera and a digital dictaphone. They tried to open a second safe in vain. On June 4, the police went to the Association's office, prevented human rights defenders from touching anything and took their fingerprints.

It can be noted that neither valuables such as expensive computers, printers, scanners, nor a box with donations were taken, which indicates that the attack may have had a political purpose.

Moreover, the Observatory recalls that on June 14, 2003, a lawsuit was started by Mr. Bukin, head of the Nachinov Military School, against the Association and the Smena Newspaper, which had published information provided by the Association concerning physical and psychological torture of pupils (See the Observatory's Annual Report 2003). The case continued during 2004, despite the fact that the Admiral of the Russian Fleet, Mr. Kurroedov, had already acknowledged that the acts of physical and psychological torture did take place and that the officers responsible for it had already been punished. The next hearing in this case is planned to take place on June 22, 2005, before the Kuibychev Court of Saint-Petersburg.

The Observatory notes that these facts take place within the context of recurrent acts of harassment against the Association of Soldiers' Mothers of Saint-Petersburg (see the Observatory's Annual Report 2004).

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of the Russian Federation urging them to:

1. guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of the members of the Association of Soldiers' Mothers of Saint-Petersburg, and all other Russian human rights defenders;
2. conduct a fair, impartial and independent inquiry into these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and pronounce sentences proportional to the gravity of their crimes;
3. ensure that the Association be granted a fair and impartial trial before the Court of Kuibychev, on June 22, 2005;
4. comply with the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular article 1 which states that "[e]veryone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and article 6 which guarantees the right: "(a) To know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including having access to information as to how those rights and freedoms are given effect in domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems";
5. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by the Russian Federation.
   
   

Addresses:

• Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, Kremlin, Moscow, Russia; Fax: + 7 095 206 8510, E-mail: president@gov.ru
• President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, c/o the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation, Avenue de la Paix 15, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; Fax: + 41 22 734 40 44, E-mail: mission.russian@ties.itu.int
• Procurator General of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, Rossiyskaya Federatsiya, 103793 g. Moskva K-31, Ul. B. Dimitrovka, d 15a, Prokuratura Rossiyskoy Federatsii, Generalnomu prokuroru Ustinovu V., Russian Federation; Fax: + 7 095 292 88 48
• Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Ella Pamfilova, Rossiyskaya Federatsiya,103132 g. Moskva, Staraya ploshchad, d 8/5, pod 3, Predsedatele Komissii po pravam cheloveka pri Prezidente, Pamfilove, Elle., Russian Federation; Fax:+ 7 095 206 48 55
• Nikolai Patrushev, Director General of the Federal Security Service, Bolshaia Lubianka 1/3, Moscow, Russia; Fax: + 7 095 975 24 70
• Ambassadeur, Skotnikov, Leonid, Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Geneve 20, Suisse ; Fax: +41 22 734 40 44, E-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int
• Minister of Internal Affairs, Rashid Nugaliev, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Rossiia, 119991, Moskva, Ministru vnutrennykh del; Fax: + 7 095 237 49 25
• Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Rossiia, 121200 Moskva, Ministru inostrannykh del; Fax: + 7 095 244 22 03
• Ambassador, Skotnikov, Leonid, Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Geneve 20, Suisse ; Fax: +41 22 734 40 44, E-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int
  

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Paris - Geneva, June 20, 2005