Parliamentary Assembly Assemblée parlementaire

Doc. 10916
26 April 2006

Legal remedies for human rights violations in the North-Caucasus Region

Motion for a resolution
presented by Mr Jurgens and others

1.       In its recommendation 1733 (2006), the Assembly regrets that «serious human rights violations still occur on a massive scale in the Chechen Republic and; in some cases, in neighbouring regions of the Northern Caucasus» and stressed that «the protection of human rights is the core task of all Council of Europe bodies».

2.       All illegal acts, including human rights violations, committed by insurgents must be ended.

3.       The Parliamentary Assembly is deeply concerned about the evolution and the spreading of the conflict situation throughout the North-Caucasus region, and considers that there is a need to examine the human rights situation in this region as a whole.

4.       “Very serious shortcomings of the law enforcement system (…) shortcomings that have led to a climate of fear” were noted by Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, following her recent visit to the region in February 2006;5.

5.       Numerous human rights violations as described in recommendation 1733 (2006) continue to occur in the region, such as:

-       “disappearances”;


-       lack of effective control of armed groups loyal to the Prime Minister (the so-called Kadyrovtsy); even after their integration into the forces of the Chechen Ministry of Interior;


-       intimidation of victims of serious human rights abuses aimed at preventing them from complaining to the law enforcement agencies;

-       insufficient attention being paid to allegations of torture by the authorities and in court proceedings;

6.       The Russian Federation central authorities do not appear to take sufficient responsibility for certain actions of the regional bodies, although sovereignty implies responsibility;

7.       In the light of the above concerns, there is an urgent need to ensure that all victims of human rights violations in the North-Caucasus region are provided with effective legal remedies, as guaranteed by Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Signed ¹:

JURGENS, Erik, Netherlands, SOC
AHLQVIST, Birgitta, Sweden, SOC
ARABADJIEV, Alexander, Bulgaria, SOC
ATANASOVA, Aneliya, Bulgaria, ALDE
BARTUMEU CASSANY, Jaume, Andorra, SOC
BEMELMANS-VIDEC, Marie-Louise, Netherlands, EPP/CD
CEBECİ, Erol Aslan, Turkey, EPP/CD
ERTSBORN, Jan, Sweden, ALDE
EXNER, Václav, Czech Republic, UEL
GARDETTO, Jean-Charles, Monaco, EPP/CD
LINTNER, Eduard, Germany, EPP/CD
LLOYD, Tony, United Kingdom, SOC
MARTY, Dick, Switzerland, ALDE
MERCAN, Murat, Turkey, EPP/CD
PAPADIMITRIOU, Elsa, Greece, EPP/CD
SEVERIN, Adrian, Romania, SOC
STĂNOIU, Rodica Mihaela, Romania, SOC/SOC
TKÁČ, Vojtech, Slovaquie, SOC

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
       EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
       ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
       EDG: European Democratic Group
       UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
       NR: not registered in a group