Russia and Saudi Arabia Became Members of the UN Human Rights Council

Following the results of vote in the General Assembly Russia was included into the UN Human Rights Council for the next three years. 176 of 193 states voted for joining of Russia into the Council. 14 new member countries including China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and the Republic of South Africa were chosen in total.

Certainly, if Human Rights Council includes Saudi Arabia, the Russian Federation also has its place there. While I am not sure whether there will be a place for human rights there.

The law forbade oral or written discussions of existing political system in Saudi Arabia. Cutting off of a hand follows as punishment for a theft. Illegitimate sexual relations are also punished. Blasphemy and "sorcery" (fortune telling, guessing, love spell, etc.) is punished by death penalty. Strictly speaking only men have human right in Saudi Arabia: in legal system evidences of a man are equal to evidences of two women.

If to compare, of course, there are twice more rights in RF as we have gender equity. But for the rest...

Already today, for example, I will make speech at joint press conference of ROT-FRONT and Interregional Union of Communists concerning first in the modern history dispersal of demonstrations of communists on November, 7. I am talking about at once two demonstrations, it happened at the same time. At that it was carried out contrary to even very rigid legislation on meetings and mass actions which is urged to limit article 31 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation allowing to hold mass actions without any restrictions.

I will give only one example how the authorities consciously provoked violations of public order on November, 7th. In reply to given strictly on the law notice of October 23, we (Interregional Union of Communists) received the answer dated by 31st of October (in reality judging by stamps on mail notifications, the document arrived to the post-office only on November, 4th and was delivered to the addressee on November, 5th). Though there’s rigidly established period - within 3 days (article 12 FL-54 accurately registers in obligations of the authorities "to inform the organizer of public action within three days from the date of obtaining the notice about carrying out of public action").

Moreover, the answer from the Department of Public Safety of the government of Moscow contained direct misinformation: citizens Mironov, Vershinsky and Mikhaylov (ROT-FRONT) submitted notice for carrying out of a meeting not on Suvorovskaya Square, but on the square next to the metro station Ulitza 1905 Goda where they were later detained and beaten. That is organizers of action from Interregional Unity of Communists were offered to join nonexistent notice! Let's imagine that we would have obeyed the city hall and came to Suvorovskaya Square where we would be detained already on full lawful basis as the action there was neither authorized, nor even declared.

The most entertaining is that ROT-FRONT was offered "to join" nonexistent notice from Interregional Union of Communists on Suvorovskaya Square...

That is the authorities of Moscow consciously provoked two organizations of communists to violation of the law and when provocation failed, they dispersed meetings and detained citizens without bases.

If it is possible to imagine that US authorities dispersed celebrating citizens on Independence Day or the authorities of France on Bastille Day? After all November, 7th for history of the Russian Federation is absolutely the same. What "human rights" in Russia we are talking about?

So, the country where suppression of human rights is made principle of state policy becomes the member of the UN Human Rights Council...

There are plenty of violations of human rights in the Russian Federation, here you are the one from our fresh editorial mail...

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The head of the Public Movement "Yakutia-Our Opinion" Stepan Petrov addressed the world community to take measures for observance of human rights in Russia

The head of the Public Social Movement "Yakutia – Our Opinion" Stepan Petrov addressed the UN member states, the main bodies of the United Nations, leading world human rights organizations and other international organizations with the address to take effective measures for protection of human rights in Russia, including coercive measures – sanctions, within existing mechanisms of the UN.

The review of observance of human rights in Russia on example of the Universal Periodic Review within which it was offered to organize protection of human rights was submitted.

It is unique mechanism of the UN for making review of situation with human rights in all member states of the UN and assessment of extent of implementation of the international obligations.

This mechanism allows to offer constructive ways on elimination of human rights violations and to demand implementation of recommendations of various countries publicly.

On a number of questions entering Universal Periodic Review the Russian Federation presented false and unreliable information.

Arguments of Russia on some questions directly contradict to the data of bodies of the UN and other interested organizations.

Foreign policy of Russia has cynical and hypocritical character, based on practice of double standards. Mass and rough human rights violation is being observed in Russia throughout already long time.

Russia discredits the international process of protection of human rights that demands taking measures at the international level.

Therefore Stepan Petrov suggested to initiate thorough examination of the situation with human rights in Russia and acceptances of adequate measures:

- to update the legislation and law-enforcement practice of Russia;

- to bring Russia to responsibility for giving false information and non-compliance with human rights.

It is necessary to use all available possibilities of the international instruments of influence on situation.

Bodies of the UN, countries and other interested parties need to accept coercive measures to Russia, that is to apply sanctions established by the international law at exhaustion of all opportunities for realization of human rights.

In case of continuation of mass and rough human rights violation it’s necessary to expel Russia from the international organizations and to block foreign assets of Russia as the international activity and management of assets are not in interests of the majority of the population of Russia, only in interests of the officials and oligarchs.

All perpetrators regardless of their status have to be brought to responsibility. Ban on trips and freezing of assets of particular guilty officials have good results.

For practical realization of the principle of inevitability of punishment is necessary to define a circle of people responsible for human rights violation in Russia and to make them responsible.

Stepan Petrov suggested interested parties to take in common measures in the following directions:

1) Detailed consideration of situation with human rights in Russia within Universal Periodic Review, treaty bodies, special procedures and other mechanisms of the UN.

2) Taking of coercion measures to Russia from the UN, international organizations and states for full realization of human rights in Russia.

3) Unification of efforts of interested parties on control of observance and realization of norms of the international law in Russia.

In course of carrying out of Universal Periodic Review the states submit recommendations to that state whose report is under consideration. Further the state has to answer: if it accepts or doesn't accept recommendations. In case of acceptance it is necessary to specify measures taken for its realization.

It’s possible to give the following examples of the worst violation of rights and giving of false information.

Denmark submitted recommendation No. 140.223 – to approve officially Declaration of the United Nations on the rights of indigenous people and to carry out all relevant national laws and regulations compeletely.

Russia didn't accept it. Having specified that the Russian legislation and law-enforcement practice in the sphere of insurance of the rights of indigenous peoples surpass provisions of the Declaration. It was reported on questions of land and usage of resources that everything is realized even better, than it’s fixed in the international law.

This information given by Russia is false.

Indigenous peoples are deprived of priority access to lands and biological resources, they also can't influence activity of the industrial enterprises working in places of their traditional accommodation.

Norms about free using of lands of various categories by indigenous peoples were withdrawn from Land, Forest and Water Codes of the Russian Federation.

Despite adoption of the Federal Law "About Territories of Traditional Environmental Management of Indigenous Small Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation" no territory of traditional environmental management was created.

Mechanisms of practical realization of the rights of indigenous peoples are absent in Russia.

The United States of America submitted recommendation 140.102 - to stop practice of application of arbitrary detentions, tortures and excessive force by law enforcement officers.

Russia didn't accept it. Having specified that there is no practice of arbitrary detention, tortures and excessive use of force in system of law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation. Detention and other measures of procedural coercion are carried out according to the standards of the procedural legislation which provide effective guarantees against violations of the rights of citizens in the specified sphere.

All facts of inadequate treatment of detainees involve corresponding reaction from Investigative committee and General Prosecutor Office. Guilty law enforcement officers are attracted to responsibility established by the law.

Information of Russia about lack of practice of arbitrary detention, tortures and excessive use of force is false.

Plenty of facts of commission of crimes by officers of law enforcement in relation to the detained citizens exist all over the country.

In most cases consideration of addresses is carried out formally and doesn't lead to punishment of guilty employees. Often employees checking similar messages work applying principle of corporate solidarity and cover crimes of their colleagues. There is no effective mechanism of control over examination of such applications.

According to human rights organizations punishment for application of tortures are often brought for less serious crimes (abuse of power, compulsion to evidence).

Law-enforcement system of Russia is adjusted on mitigation of punishment to the employees who carry out tortures and violent acts. It leads to impunity for application of force and stimulates growth of crimes among militiamen.

Information on unprecedented infringement of the major democratic rights and freedoms in Russia is provided in the review.

Majority of measures of state regulation in the field of political sphere are directed on suppression of civil society in Russia.

Legislative initiatives (laws on "foreign agents", high treason, meetings, regulation of Internet content and others) are directed on restriction of activity of non-governmental human rights organizations and civil activists with the purpose of prevention or suppression of criticism of the power.

New edition of the criminal structure of high treason provides criminalization of participation in the international human rights actions and provision of information on condition of human rights in Russia to bodies of the UN.

The UN has already declared that it imposes ban to transfer the UN information on situation with human rights in the Russian Federation.

In the near future the majority of civil activists of Russia cooperating with the international organizations can be brought to trials.

Therefore civil society has to state consolidated protest against this initiative and urge the world community not to allow similar human rights violation.

In conclusion Stepan Petrov offered all wishing to take part in the international human rights activity within the UN mechanisms.

Whenever possible it’s recommended to send offers in English.

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