Motion for a resolution | Doc. 14382 | 30 June 2017

The continuing need to restore human rights and the rule of law in the North Caucasus region

Signatories: Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Thorhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR, Iceland, NR ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Anne BRASSEUR, Luxembourg, ALDE ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Yves CRUCHTEN, Luxembourg, SOC ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Giorgi KANDELAKI, Georgia, EPP/CD ; Mr Philippe MAHOUX, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Marianne MIKKO, Estonia, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU, Norway, EPP/CD ; Mr Nico SCHRIJVER, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Petra De SUTTER, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Manuel TORNARE, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

In its unanimously adopted Resolutions 1738 (2010) and 2157 (2017), the Parliamentary Assembly observed that the situation in the North Caucasus region, with regard to safeguarding human rights and upholding the rule of law still remains one of the most serious in the entire geographical area covered by the Council of Europe.

Recent reports, in particular from the Chechen Republic, on the persecution of LGBTI persons, indicate that situation has still not improved.

The Assembly remains worried about serious human rights abuses by law enforcement agents, including killings, abductions and torture, and about the prevailing impunity of the perpetrators, as confirmed by numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, whose execution remains blocked. Also, human rights defenders are being put under increasing pressure in order to stop the flow of information. The head of the Chechen Republic, in particular, has made public threats against political opponents, human rights activists and their families even in other parts of the Russian Federation and beyond.

Even the drastic means applied by the authorities to repress terrorism have not succeeded in stemming the violence by radical Islamist insurgents who themselves violate the local population’s most basic human rights, including the right to life.

The Assembly is therefore duty-bound to continue following up the human rights situation in the North Caucasus and to offer the Russian Federation any possible assistance in restoring human rights and the rule of law in this troubled region.