HRW: on eve of Paralympic Games in Sochi, invalids' rights are violated

In Russia, on the eve of the Paralympic Games in Sochi, millions of people with disabilities suffer from discrimination, remaining locked within four walls. Sochi residents with disabilities also face problems, despite the statements of the city authorities about ensuring barrier-free environment. This was emphasized by the authors of the report "Ever-present obstacles. Lack of accessibility for people with disabilities in Russia" presented by the international organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW).

On September 11, the presentation of the report took place at the International Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" in Moscow.

The primary speech on the topic was delivered by Andrea Mazzarino, a researcher of rights of persons with disabilities of the HRW's Department for Europe and Central Asia. She has reminded the audience that, according to the official information, in Russia, there are at least 13 million people with disabilities, or about 9% of the population.

The situation in the city of Sochi was discussed as a separate topic. According to the information presented by the report's authors, more than 1300 athletes with disabilities will compete in five winter Paralympic sports. However, according to the information of the HRW's experts, it was found out that, in spite of the above fact, residents of Sochi usually face the same problems as residents of the other Russian cities.

One more problem voiced by the authors of the report was the issue of recruiting people with disabilities to participate in the planning preparation for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, which, according to them, is limited. Thus, the administration of Sochi employs no staff member with disabilities.

Earlier, the HRW's representatives reported violations of the rights of migrant workers committed in Sochi during preparation for the Olympic Games.