Doc. 8681
24 March 2000

Fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia law

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Fyfe and others

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

1.       The Assembly recalls that early in 1999 its President, Lord Russell-Johnston, condemned human rights violations resulting from the implementation of Sharia Law in Chechnya.

2.        The Assembly notes that Sharia Law has since then been imposed in villages in neighbouring Daghestan, by Chechen forces.

3.       The Assembly further notes that attempts to impose Sharia Law, at least partially, have been taken in some other Russian Republics, bringing about confusion and lack of legal coherence.

4.        The Assembly therefore resolves:

a.        to inquire into what efforts have been made by the Russian authorities to deal with this problem, apart from armed forces being sent to Chechnya ;

b.        to inquire into what efforts were made by the Chechen authorities to stop fundamentalist implementation of the Sharia Law, what appeals for assistance were made to the Russian federal authorities and to the international community, and what responses they received ;

c.        to consult with the Russian government on how a solution can be found, so that any future Russian disengagement from Chechnya does not result in Sharia Law being continued unhindered either in Chechnya or in any other part of the Russian Federation ;

d.        to consider whether those who have implemented Sharia Law implying human rights violations can be brought to trial ;

e.        to consider what steps the Assembly can take to make it clear that the Council of Europe will not accept fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia Law being imposed in any member state of the Council of Europe and,

f.        to express the wish that any human rights monitoring in Chechnya under the authority of the Council of Europe will include in its remit a regular report on what steps are being taken to end fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia Law.

Signed : ¹

Fyfe, United Kingdom, SOC

Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Durrieu, France, SOC

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Kautto, Finland, SOC

Stepova, Czech Rep, SOC

Taylor J.D., United Kingdom, EPP/CD

Weiss, Slovakia, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group