Council of Europe's CPT condemns Russia for human rights violations in Chechnya

The phenomenon of torture and severe ill-treatment of persons detained by members of law enforcement agencies remain widespread in Chechnya and the neighbouring republics, but the Russian authorities persistently fail to improve the situation with human rights in Northern Caucasus in the light of the Council of Europe's recommendations, the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) states.

Within the past ten years, staff members of the Council of Europe's CPT visited Chechnya three times: in spring 2009, in spring 2011, and in late 2017. The information gathered during the above visits confirms that resort to torture and other forms of ill-treatment by members of law enforcement agencies remains widespread in Chechnya, as does the related practice of unlawful detentions, the Council of Europe's CPT declares in its public statement.

Torture and severe ill-treatment of persons detained by members of law enforcement agencies are also widespread in other republics of Northern Caucasus, including Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia, notes the statement released by the Council of Europe's CPT. Its staff members visited the above mentioned regions in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2016.

The Russian authorities "have failed to acknowledge the gravity of the situation" and the dialogue with them on the issue of human rights in Northern Caucasus is "deadlocked," the Council of Europe's CPT notes in its statement.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 12, 2019 at 09:24 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.