Rights defenders demand to stop discriminating natives of Chechnya in France

French human rights organizations have urged the United Nations (UN) to influence the French authorities, who admit discrimination against natives from Chechnya and their deportation to Russia, where they face threats of torture, the "Memorial" Centre for Defence of Human Rights has informed.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has considered a note on the inadmissibility of deportation of Chechen refugees from France, which was sent on November 1 by the Habitat-cité and Comité Tchétchénie organizations, the above "Memorial" Centre has added.

The human rights defenders have called on the UN to remind French authorities of their commitment to defend ethnic and religious minorities. The note also contains calls to abolish ethnic criteria in the fight against radicalization and terrorism.

"The rights defenders also urge to remind France of its obligations, which prohibit the deportation of people to places where they may face humiliating and cruel treatment. It is indicated that Russia is excluded from the Council of Europe and, according to the position of this organization, the Russia's regime is treated as 'terrorist one'," says the publication of the "Memorial".

Over the past five years, in France, the attitude towards immigrants from Chechnya has worsened, the "Memorial" has noted. It is becoming more and more difficult for Chechens to obtain the refugee status; there are more and more reasons for depriving it, which is associated with the worsening of the society's attitude towards the Chechen Diaspora.

The human rights defenders have recalled the stories of Daud Muradov, who was extradited from France to Russia, where he was tortured and died, and Magomed Gadaev, who was deported against protest.