This text, which will come into force on April 10, 2006, demonstrates a determination to control and silence independant organisations, and to limit the presence of international NGOs on Russian territory. It represents a serious threat for all civil society despite of the withdrawal of some very restrictive provisions, after the first reading before the Lower Chamber of Parliament, on November 23, 2005 (see explanatory note enclosed).
The Observatory considers that this law blatantly violates regional and international instruments on human rights which guarantee freedom of association, in particular : the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights ; the European Convention on Human Rights ; the Document of the Copenhagen Conference on Human Dimension of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1998.
The Observatory calls upon the international community, in particular the United Nations, the European Union, Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to use all means available, in order to ensure that the Russian Federation will conform, in all circumstances, to its international human rights commitments.
Contacts presse:
FIDH: +33 1 43 55 25 18
OMCT: +41 22 809 49 39