23:03, 21 February 2007

Human rights activists refuse to take part in Kadyrov's conference in Chechnya

The editorial board of the "Caucasian Knot" has received an application from the Public Opposition Movement (POM) "For Human Rights" about refusal of human rights defenders to take part in the human rights conference to be held by acting president Ramzan Kadyrov in Grozny.

On March 1, 2007, they plan to hold an international conference in Grozny "Respect of Human Rights in the Chechen Republic: First Outcomes of Ombudsman's Work and Prospects for the Future."

"Today, the territory of the Chechen Republic continues to be the venue of mass and rough violations of human rights, including extrajudicial executions, kidnappings and tortures, corruption and extortions of humanitarian aid and compensations. In fact, the country is under totalitarian rule," the application runs. "The guilt and responsibility are first of all on representatives of federal power structures, on members of "Kadyrov's spetsnaz" and on Chechnya's administration, and only then - on separatists."