MOSCOW (AP) — The U.N's top human rights official on Thursday decried violence in Russia against activists and journalists but said the country has made some incremental moves toward reform.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said her four days of meetings with Russian officials, including President Dmitry Medvedev, show there is "some recognition at the top" that Russia's observance of human rights is seriously flawed.
"I commend the president for his clear vision and public statements concerning the importance of such reforms," she said at a news conference. "There has undoubtedly been some progress, but also some setbacks — including murders, intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders and investigative journalists and independent media, and apparent serious miscarriages of justice."
Reforms under Medvedev "have not advanced sufficiently to be considered a success," she said.
Pillay drew attention to the case of Alexei Sokolov, a rights activist who had campaigned against torture and corruption in law enforcement agencies and who was sentenced to five years imprisonment last year on charges of theft. She called for an independent investigation to be launched.
Pillay also cited problems were particularly acute in Russia's Caucasus region, where rights violations appear to be fueling an Islamist insurgency.
No comments:
Post a Comment