Russia and Central Asia

Russia has made great strides in democratic development over recent years, but the EU has concerns about recent changes to Russia’s electoral system. Direct election of regional governors ended in 2004, and they are now nominated by the President and approved by the local legislature. President Putin has concentrated power in his own hands and substantially strengthened his authority vis-à-vis the Duma, the government and the regions. Currently there is little serious political opposition to the government.

There are reports of a growing problem with racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and extremism and restrictions on freedom of religion in Russia. Although Article 14 of the Russian Constitution says that Russia is a secular state, Russia’s law enshrines Orthodox Christianity as the country’s predominant religion and pledges respect only for Buddhism, Islam and Judaism. The law places restrictions on other groups.

There have been repeated restrictions to the position and ability to practice of the Catholic Church and smaller minority religions such as the Salvation Army and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The latter have been banned in Moscow and have experienced difficulties in other parts of the country as a result. Ethnic minorities, in particular persons from Central Asia and the Caucasus, are frequently victims of ethnic discrimination and sometimes violence. This tendency has recently manifested itself in several highly publicised racist acts, including violent attacks and killings. Such cases in the last few years include the stabbing of a 9-year-old Tajik girl in St Petersburg and of a 24-year-old African student in Voronezh. In January 2005 figures from the Sova Centre, a respected Russian NGO, showed that at least 200 people were injured and 44 were killed in Russia as a result of racially motivated crimes during 2004. The number killed was more than double the corresponding figure from 2003. NGOs have reported that there are around 50,000 members of ‘skinhead’ groups in Russia and that the number is rising quickly. Russia’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, has accused law enforcement agencies of not taking sufficient steps to investigate and prevent extremism-related crimes.

Having agreed at the EU-Russia Summit in The Hague in November 2004 to start a regular human rights dialogue, the first EU-Russia consultations on human rights were held in Luxembourg on 1 March 2005 (see chapter 3.3.3 for more detail). Whilst recognising the genuine security problems that Russia has to deal with, and condemning the terrorist attack in Beslan in September 2004 in the strongest possible terms, the EU remains concerned about the serious human rights situation in Chechnya. There are regular reports of disappearances, of torture and of pro-Moscow armed groups operating with impunity. There are also reports of increasing harassment of NGOs and human rights activists across the North Caucasus. These include the abduction of Makhmut Magomadov, a lawyer working for an EU-funded project, who disappeared in

January 2005 but was later returned. The EU responded to Magomadov’s abduction with an EU declaration on Intimidation and Harassment of Human Rights Defenders in Russia, in February 2005. The EU discussed Chechnya in depth with Russia during the March consultations, and encouraged Russia to strengthen co- operation with international human rights mechanisms, and sought assurances on protection of human rights activists. The EU welcomed the appointment of Dmitry Kozak as the President’s envoy to the region, and Russia’s willingness to discuss human rights issues in Chechnya. With the aim of taking forward co- operation, the EU did not sponsor a country resolution on Chechnya at the 2005 UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR). The EU instead raised its anxieties about Chechnya in the more general EU statement under Item 9. This listed the most serious concerns, including extra-judicial killings and disappearances, and called on Russia immediately to take all necessary measures to stop and prevent serious violations of human rights and international law in Chechnya. In collaboration with the Russian authorities, the EU is currently developing a programme of social and economic assistance for the North Caucasus.

The 15th EU/Russia summit in Moscow on 10 May 2005 adopted road maps for the creation of the four Common Spaces between the EU and Russia, including a Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice, which notably states: "By strengthening their co-operation through the implementation of international commitments, through respect for the principle of non-discrimination including countering any form of intolerance and racism, through respect of rights of individuals in the EU member states and Russia, including immigrants and persons belonging to minorities, and respect of fundamental rights and freedoms set out in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the EU and Russia will reach the full potential of their co-operation."

The EU has discussed human rights issues in all Co-operation Committee and Co-operation Council meetings with countries of Central Asia. A special dialogue meeting on human rights with Turkmenistan was held in the margins of the Joint EU-Turkmenistan meeting on 12 May 2005, in Ashgabad. See chapter 5.1 for EU action at UNGA Third Committee.

On 23 May, and 13 June⁷⁴ the Council adopted Conclusions condemning disproportionate and excessive use of force by the security forces of Uzbekistan against civilians during the unrest in Andijan, which took place in May 2005. The Council has repeatedly requested the Uzbek authorities to allow an independent

74 And again on 18 July 2005.

international enquiry into these events to take place. In addition, the Council sent a strong message to the Kyrgyzstan authorities reminding them to respect their international obligations concerning protection of Uzbek refugees and asylum seekers, who crossed into Kyrgyzstan from Uzbekistan after the events in Andijan. High Representative Solana dispatched his Personal Representative on Human Rights to Kyrgyzstan, following refusal of his visa by the Uzbek authorities.