WRITTEN QUESTION E-0006/03 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council. Decision of the judicial authorities in the Russian Federation to regard Colonel Budanov as temporarily insane.
Date: 2003-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Russia, common foreign and security policy, criminal liability, independence of the judiciary, right to justice, war crime, war of independence

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/131

Reply

(8 May 2003)

The Council
is aware of the allegations concerning the death of Mr Raduyev in a Russian prison in
December 2002. It considers that the allegations should be brought before the competent authorities in
Russia. The Council will follow this case closely.

The Council will continue to take advantage of the numerous political dialogue meetings with Russia at all
the strategic
levels to underline that democracy and respect of human rights are key elements of
partnership between the EU and Russia. The Council will also continue to underline that progress in the
reform process in Russia,
for the further
development of relations. The Council stands ready to support the Russian authorities in this context.

including strengthening of

the rule of

is essential

law,

(2003/C 222 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0006/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council

(16 January 2003)

Subject: Decision of the judicial authorities in the Russian Federation to regard Colonel Budanov as

temporarily insane

On 16 December 2002, after the fourth psychiatric report in the trial of the Russian Army Colonel Yuri
Budanov for strangling the Chechen adolescent Elza Kungayeva in March 2002, the Colonel was judged to
be ‘not criminally responsible’ and ‘temporarily insane’.

Given the Russian authorities’ declared intention to present the Budanov trial as the start of a judicial
response to the accumulation of human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity
perpetrated over a period of years in Chechnya, what is the Council’s opinion of this verdict? Does the
Council not take the view that with this verdict the Russian authorities have given members of the military
and paramilitary forces a signal of absolute impunity when it comes to crimes committed in connection
with operations in Chechnya? What initiatives do the Council and Member States intend to take on this
matter in the relevant international (Council of Europe, UN Commission on Human Rights, OSCE, etc.)
and bilateral bodies?

Reply

(8 May 2003)

The Council has naturally followed the controversy surrounding the verdict of insanity passed on Colonel
Budanov over an incident at a time when he held a responsible position in charge of a military division.
As a general principle, however, the Council does not express any opinion concerning legal verdicts.

(2003/C 222 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0007/03

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Council

(16 January 2003)

Subject: Assistance for the victims of the ‘Prestige’ oil tanker disaster

The sinking of the ‘Prestige’ oil tanker last November, and the resultant oil spill, has been, without a doubt,
the greatest ecological disaster in modern Spanish history and has claimed thousands of victims. Indeed the
Copenhagen European Council expressed its regret and grave concern regarding the serious accident of the