Russia
28.05.04
Urgent Interventions
Russia: Vladimir Putin discredits NGOs
Paris – Geneva, May 28, 2004 - The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deep concern over the declarations of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, on May 26, 2004, in front of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Parliament.
In his annual speech on the state of the Nation, the Russian president declared : «thousands of associations and civil unions exist and work constructively in [Russia]. However, far from all of them are concerned by the defence of the real interests of the people. For some of these organisations, the main objective has become to receive funds from influent foreign and domestic foundations, for others the aim is to serve dubious groups and commercial interests».
Mentioning «influential foreign foundations» and «dubious groups and commercial interests» might namely be interpreted as referring to businessmen Boris Berezovsky, Vladimir Gousinsky, both exiled, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is currently in detention. All three are being prosecuted for alleged economic fraud. Their prosecution is linked to the fact that they are well-known opponents to the Kremlin regime and that they have been financing political opposition movements, as well as NGOs criticising the authorities. Some Russian NGOs have been very involved in denouncing their prosecutions which, regardless of the validity of the criminal charges brought against the businessmen, illustrate the attempts by the Russian government to silence political dissent and pluralism.
The Observatory recalls that Mr. Putin's statement is part of a general libellous campaign against NGOs that started some months ago. This campaign aims at portraying NGO members as criminals and representatives of foreign enemies of Russia, in order to discredit them in front of the Russian population. It also aims at operating a pernicious division between “good” and “bad” NGOs, so as to divide and weaken the community of human rights defenders. The last example of this campaign was illustrated during a press conference, on May 7, 2004 when General Kraev, High Representative of the General Direction of Sentence Enforcement of the Ministry of Justice, also accused human rights organisations of being financed by criminal organisations and by oligarchs (see Open letter of the Observatory to Vladimir Putin, May 24, 2004). These declarations were linked to the recent activities and protests of human rights defenders against the deplorable conditions of detainees in Russia.
Mr. Putin's declarations are all the more unacceptable that this speech constitutes a well thought and prepared statement discrediting NGOs in front of one of the highest institutions of Russia, the Federation Council. The Observatory fears that this declaration constitutes a green light to every kind of repression, harassment and libellous campaign.
The Observatory recalls that the international financing is one the main conditions to the independence of NGOs and is guaranteed by the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of United Nations on December, 9 1998, which states in its article 13 that «[e]veryone has the right, individually or in association with others, to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of the present Declaration».
The Observatory urges Russian authorities to 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 13 above mentioned, as well as international and regional instruments for the protection of human rights.
For more information, please contact : FIDH: 00 33 1 43 55 25 18 - OMCT: 00 41 22 809 49 24
In his annual speech on the state of the Nation, the Russian president declared : «thousands of associations and civil unions exist and work constructively in [Russia]. However, far from all of them are concerned by the defence of the real interests of the people. For some of these organisations, the main objective has become to receive funds from influent foreign and domestic foundations, for others the aim is to serve dubious groups and commercial interests».
Mentioning «influential foreign foundations» and «dubious groups and commercial interests» might namely be interpreted as referring to businessmen Boris Berezovsky, Vladimir Gousinsky, both exiled, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is currently in detention. All three are being prosecuted for alleged economic fraud. Their prosecution is linked to the fact that they are well-known opponents to the Kremlin regime and that they have been financing political opposition movements, as well as NGOs criticising the authorities. Some Russian NGOs have been very involved in denouncing their prosecutions which, regardless of the validity of the criminal charges brought against the businessmen, illustrate the attempts by the Russian government to silence political dissent and pluralism.
The Observatory recalls that Mr. Putin's statement is part of a general libellous campaign against NGOs that started some months ago. This campaign aims at portraying NGO members as criminals and representatives of foreign enemies of Russia, in order to discredit them in front of the Russian population. It also aims at operating a pernicious division between “good” and “bad” NGOs, so as to divide and weaken the community of human rights defenders. The last example of this campaign was illustrated during a press conference, on May 7, 2004 when General Kraev, High Representative of the General Direction of Sentence Enforcement of the Ministry of Justice, also accused human rights organisations of being financed by criminal organisations and by oligarchs (see Open letter of the Observatory to Vladimir Putin, May 24, 2004). These declarations were linked to the recent activities and protests of human rights defenders against the deplorable conditions of detainees in Russia.
Mr. Putin's declarations are all the more unacceptable that this speech constitutes a well thought and prepared statement discrediting NGOs in front of one of the highest institutions of Russia, the Federation Council. The Observatory fears that this declaration constitutes a green light to every kind of repression, harassment and libellous campaign.
The Observatory recalls that the international financing is one the main conditions to the independence of NGOs and is guaranteed by the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of United Nations on December, 9 1998, which states in its article 13 that «[e]veryone has the right, individually or in association with others, to solicit, receive and utilize resources for the express purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means, in accordance with article 3 of the present Declaration».
The Observatory urges Russian authorities to 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 13 above mentioned, as well as international and regional instruments for the protection of human rights.
For more information, please contact : FIDH: 00 33 1 43 55 25 18 - OMCT: 00 41 22 809 49 24