EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/644

(2004/C 88 E/0661)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3366/03

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 November 2003)

Subject: Human rights situation in Chechnya

Can the Commission outline what action has been taken by the European Union to highlight the human rights violations and the breaches of international humanitarian law in Chechnya, with particular reference to the cases of Said-Khusein Imakaev and his father Said Khusein.

Can the Commission also indicate whether these issues will be discussed at the imminent EU-Russian Summit to be held in Rome on 6 November and give a brief report on the outcome of this meeting, with particular reference to Chechnya.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2003)

The Commission is closely following developments in Chechnya. The Commission supports a political solution to the conflict, which respects Russia's territorial integrity, as well as all genuine efforts to bring about a lasting peace.

The Commission is aware of, and concerned about, disturbing reports of human rights violations in Chechnya. The Commission is also aware of the case to which reference is made, which has been presented to the European Court of Human Rights. Regrettably, it is not isolated: a total of 2 343 people have disappeared since August 1999, according to data from the office of Mr Sultygov, the Presidential Representative for Human Rights in Chechnya. Human Rights organisations report that several hundred people have gone missing in Chechnya (many of them in forced disappearances) in 2003.

The Commission used the occasion of the European Council on 6 November 2003 in Rome to express its concern at reports of ongoing human rights abuses. The Commission continues to stress the need to end the culture of impunity for perpetrators of human rights abuses on all sides of the conflict.

The Commission also expressed its concern at the closure of camps for internally displaced persons in Ingushetia. The Commission considers it of the utmost importance that internally displaced persons are not left with no option but to return to Chechnya. This is particularly so, in view of the fact that the security situation in Chechnya has, if anything, deteriorated since the constitutional referendum and Presidential elections, and in view of the poor humanitarian situation. On this latter point, the Commission regrets that Russia has not yet taken concrete measures to facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid — by providing non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with access to United Nations Very High Frequency (UNVHF) communications, by ensuring security for aid workers (the case of kidnapped humanitarian aid worker Arjan Erkel was specifically raised) and by allowing the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) to open an office in Nazran, Ingushetia — despite repeated requests to do so.

The Commission will continue to use relevant Union/Russia political dialogue meetings to call on the Russian authorities to improve the situation in the north Caucasus.

The Commission provides support to NGOs in the region via the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, with the aim of supporting the development of a functioning civil society. A number of training programmes have also been implemented in cooperation with the Council of Europe.