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Vladimir Kara-Murza at the UN Human Rights Council
Delivered on behalf of United Nations Watch
21 September 2018
Translation from Russian original
Thank you, Mr. President. My name is Vladimir Kara-Murza, I am vice chairman of Open Russia, and I am grateful for the opportunity to address the Council on behalf of United Nations Watch.
In their presentation to the Working Group and in the remarks by the minister of justice the Russian authorities have painted an idyllic picture. They talk about the precedence of international law, strengthening the independence of the judiciary, support for non-governmental organizations, and even – I quote from the text – “implementing democratic reforms.”
To me as a Russian citizen this reads like science fiction.
The situation in our country is very different from the one you are being presented. Russian citizens are denied the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The right to free elections has become a sham – and not only because of administrative pressure and fraud, although these also exist. In most cases, genuine opposition is not even allowed on the ballot. Unwelcome NGOs are designated as “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations”.
The main media outlets are under strict government control. Peaceful demonstrators are detained and beaten up – not only with police batons, but also with Cossack whips.
The law enforcement system has turned into an instrument of repression. According to the Memorial Human Rights Centre, there are currently 192 political and religious prisoners in Russia.
But this is not the worst of it. Opponents of the government increasingly face the threat of physical violence. Attacks, injuries, poisonings – this is only a partial list. In February 2015 Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot dead 200 metres from the Kremlin. The organizers and masterminds of this crime have not been brought to justice.
The actions of the current regime violate both the Russian Constitution and the international agreements signed by our country. We hope that the UN Human Rights Council will not take the Kremlin’s propaganda statements at face value.
Read More ›››
Russian justice minister confronted by dissident in UN rights debate | UN Watch
Vladimir Kara-Murza speaking on behalf of UN Watch as he rips Russian Justice Minister Konovalov a new one at the UN for the atrocious attacks on Russin dissidents and opposition
↱www.unwatch.org
Delivered on behalf of United Nations Watch
21 September 2018
Translation from Russian original
Thank you, Mr. President. My name is Vladimir Kara-Murza, I am vice chairman of Open Russia, and I am grateful for the opportunity to address the Council on behalf of United Nations Watch.
In their presentation to the Working Group and in the remarks by the minister of justice the Russian authorities have painted an idyllic picture. They talk about the precedence of international law, strengthening the independence of the judiciary, support for non-governmental organizations, and even – I quote from the text – “implementing democratic reforms.”
To me as a Russian citizen this reads like science fiction.
"Russian citizens are denied the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The situation in our country is very different from the one you are being presented. Russian citizens are denied the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The right to free elections has become a sham – and not only because of administrative pressure and fraud, although these also exist. In most cases, genuine opposition is not even allowed on the ballot. Unwelcome NGOs are designated as “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations”.
The main media outlets are under strict government control. Peaceful demonstrators are detained and beaten up – not only with police batons, but also with Cossack whips.
The law enforcement system has turned into an instrument of repression. According to the Memorial Human Rights Centre, there are currently 192 political and religious prisoners in Russia.
But this is not the worst of it. Opponents of the government increasingly face the threat of physical violence. Attacks, injuries, poisonings – this is only a partial list. In February 2015 Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot dead 200 metres from the Kremlin. The organizers and masterminds of this crime have not been brought to justice.
The actions of the current regime violate both the Russian Constitution and the international agreements signed by our country. We hope that the UN Human Rights Council will not take the Kremlin’s propaganda statements at face value.
Read More ›››
Russian justice minister confronted by dissident in UN rights debate | UN Watch
Vladimir Kara-Murza speaking on behalf of UN Watch as he rips Russian Justice Minister Konovalov a new one at the UN for the atrocious attacks on Russin dissidents and opposition
↱www.unwatch.org
