Russia

HUMAN RIGHTS IN RUSSIA - Statement by Lyudmila Alexeyeva

"Russia today is ruled by people who think and act in terms of special operations, taking hostages, spying, extortion and murder, suppressing the facts, censorship, and corruption. Society is powerless to get rid of them or to influence their decisions. There is no independence of the mass media in the country. Journalists who dare express their disagreement with government policy are persecuted and killed. The independence of the legislative and judicial branches of power has been destroyed. There is no such thing as an independent court system in Russia. Our courts are merely a cudgel the powers that be use to ruthlessly deal with those they don’t like. Less than 1% of the court cases tried in our country result in acquittals. This is the reason why 27% of the total number of applications submitted to the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights are from Russia. The overwhelming majority of these complaints concern groundless detention before trial or torture in jail, in the army or in the police. A third of a million people in Russian jails and prison camps are former entrepreneurs. One out of every six Russian businessmen has been before a court: because of corruption. Entrepreneurs lose about half of their profit on bribes to bureaucrats and other government officials. A single political party has come to the throne in the country, and all who want security in business must join it.

The authorities today have made themselves unaccountable to the citizens. The problems of children, the disabled, xenophobia, violation of migrants’ rights, and the violation of the social rights of citizens have been shifted onto the shoulders of society, but without equipping it with the means to resolve these problems, while every possible obstacle has been put up to the citizens’ ability to solve them on their own. Science, culture, education, and the social sector are being funded at poverty levels from the treasury, which deprives the country and the people of a future.

No fewer than one and a half million Russian citizens have left the country in the past decade and a half. These were the most active and educated people in the country, and yet they did not see any ways of moving up in the world or opportunities for self-realization for themselves even in the years of stratospheric oil prices. These numbers are beginning to approach the emigration levels that were observed after the greatest catastrophe in the life of Russia in 1917. Only now it is not former captains of industry who are emigrating, but ordinary citizens.

If such an anti-world as Russia has now become were to appear in the centre of Europe, no cost would be spared to stop its continuing expansion. And yet everybody is trying not to notice the expansion of such an anti-world right next door. The West needs to realize that accepting something it would never tolerate at home, cordoning itself off from someone else’s misfortune is no protection from this contagion. Because one fine day, you too just might be approached by partners such as these in business, dialogue, and politics with an offer you can’t refuse."

Lantos Swett Testifies on Russia's Dismal Human Rights Record

WASHINGTON, DC - On Thursday, July 7, 2011, Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, testified before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs on the impact that Russia’s track record of human rights abuses should have on future U.S.-Russian relations.  The hearing, entitled “Time to Pause the Reset? Defending U.S. Interests in the Face of Russian Aggression,” addressed the impact of a wide range of Russian policies on U.S. interests.

Dr. Lantos Swett focused primarily on the Russian government’s continued human rights abuses and disregard for rule of law, highlighting the most recent “show trial” of political prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky.   Lantos Swett gave voice to Khodorkovsky as well as the other victims of an increasingly corrupt and undemocratic system in Russia, asking that The United States Government take into account these human rights abuses when formulating our policies toward Russia.

“We must get away from the notion that we can delink Russia’s actions on human rights and justice from all of our other interests,” Lantos Swett said.  “When we delink those values that we hold to be profound, we begin to go off track.”

Lantos Swett was questioned by Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee Ranking Member Enid Faleomavaega about the level of priority that should be given to human rights in dictating U.S. Foreign Policy, especially considering our government’s history of supporting oppressive but U.S.-friendly regimes.

While Lantos Swett acknowledged that human rights cannot be the only factor that drives foreign policy, she pointed out that blind support for regimes that are pro-American or serve American interests is not always the best choice.

“Recent events in the Middle East have shown us that we make a poor choice when we choose the friendly tyrant,” Lantos Swett said.

Click here to view the complete testimony

History Will Judge Khodorkovsky Innocent, Putin Guilty

Statement from Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

“The conviction and sentencing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky on false and absurd charges is disturbing evidence of a return to the ‘bad old days’ in Russia. Khodorkovsky is a victim of a political prosecution directed by Vladimir Putin in an effort to punish and silence one of his most fearless and forceful critics.
Many of us had high hopes that President Medvedev would take meaningful steps to reverse the decline in respect for human rights and the rule of law that has been so evident in Russia in recent years. Unfortunately the outcome of the Khodorkovsky/Lebedev trial has dashed those hopes. Furthermore the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement that outsiders should ‘mind their own business’ in the Khodorkovsky matter is reminiscent of the Soviet days when efforts to uphold international human rights commitments were attacked as an intrusion on Russia’s sovereignty.

The Lantos Foundation calls on governments, human rights organizations, and individuals around the world speak up against this legal travesty. Putin needs to know that while he may be able to control the Russian judiciary, he cannot protect himself from being properly convicted in the court of public opinion for this clear abuse of power. The verdict of history will find that Mikhail Khodorkovsky was a man who came to recognize the inestimable value of true democracy, human rights, and transparency, and he was willing to put his freedom and his life on the line to defend these values. As for Vladimir Putin, unless he changes course, his reputation and legacy—like those of others before him—will be found on the ash heap of history.”

Statement on Verdict in Second Show Trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky

by Katrina Lantos Swett

Today, as expected, the judge in Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s second show trial returned a “guilty” verdict. This result was pre-determined long ago by forces at the very heart of power in Russia. These forces have been in the driver’s seat of this judicial persecution since the very beginning.

Although the verdict was a foregone conclusion, it has been remarkable to watch the growing embarrassment and discomfort of both the judge and the prosecution as this trial descended into a true theatre of the absurd. The charges are ridiculous, the evidence laughable, and the only one convicted by this “guilty” verdict is Russian justice. Indeed the unprecedented decision of the judge to expel the press from the courtroom during the reading of the verdict is tantamount to an admission of his own sense of guilt and shame at presiding over this kangaroo court.

The rap sheet against Russian rule of law is already long and shameful. It includes a business community that has been blackmailed and intimidated, 150 slain journalists, human rights activists who are routinely harassed and threatened, young men brutalized in the armed forces, and many others.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky loves his country and believed in its future which is why he wanted to use his power and influence to work for a Russia that was fully democratic and modern. A Russia with bona fide political opposition, a truly free press, and a business community that was transparent and socially responsible. He has paid a heavy price for pursuing these goals and he now sits in prison as Russia’s most prominent and outspoken political prisoner.

During my recent visit to Moscow, I met with numerous human rights leaders who spoke of the growing dread and intimidation in their country. They emphasized the importance of governments and groups in the West continuing to shine a bright spotlight on the increasing
authoritarianism and corruption in that country. Pushing a “reset” button on US/Russian relations cannot be an excuse for turning a blind eye to outrages such as the persecution and wrongful conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and many others. If Russia is to be a country that we can trust to abide by its treaty obligations, if it is to be a place where businesses can invest with confidence, if it is to be a country where its young people have hope and optimism for their future, then it must be a country that respects and abides by the rule of law. A good place to begin would be with justice for Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Katrina Lantos Swett is the Founder and President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.

Final Trip Update, Moscow - Lantos Foundation

As we come to the end of this trip, we are more sobered and more filled with determination to redouble our efforts in the fight to make respect for human rights and justice a reality.

Yesterday in meetings with William Browder and the lawyers for Mikhail Khodorkovsky, we were forcefully reminded of the most important fact of all - each one of these cases of abuse involves a real human being who faces terrible consequences because they live in a country where the rule of law is missing in action.

William Browder, a passionate, brilliant, and enormously successful British investor is waging an unrelenting campaign to bring some measure of justice to the criminals who were responsible for the false imprisonment, torture, and death of his young Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky brought to light the criminal theft of $230 million dollars by government bureaucrats from the Russian people themselves. He has now paid for his diligent investigations with his life. Mr. Browder, his friend and employer, has vowed that he will do everything in his power to see to it that his friend’s tormentors do not go unpunished. Just yesterday the European Union Parliament passed a tough sanctions bill against 60 high level Russian officials implicated in the Magnitsky murder by an impressive almost 3-1 margin. Let’s hope that the 116 Members who voted to protect the assets and vacation trips of these co-conspirators to murder have a hard time sleeping at night. In the United States Congress, Senator Ben Cardin is spearheading an effort to similarly identify and sanction these Russian officials. He deserves our strong support and our thanks.

Mr. Khodorkovsky’s lawyers spoke not only of their marathon campaign to gain eventual release and justice for Mikhail but also of their sleepless nights worrying over the fate of dozens of additional “hostages” ( their word not ours) that they fear the Russian government will act against. It was chilling and a vivid reminder that the defense of fundamental rights is not a business for cowards.

We are in the season when we celebrate the miracle of lights that shone in the darkness for 8 improbable days and the thrilling message from the herald angels of “peace on earth and goodwill to men.” The brave men and women who we have learned of on this trip are themselves lights that, against all odds, continue to shine in the darkness. May we each in the coming year borrow a small fraction of their courage and conviction to try to build a world where peace and goodwill prevail.

While traveling, we’ve been following both American and international news coverage. Click below to read a speech Senator John McCain delivered Thursday morning on the floor of the United States Senate about the Khodorkovsky case.

http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.FloorStatements&ContentRecord_id=f0c2ff65-
ab7e-4d68-b410-bf8f86c377de&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Update from Moscow, December 14, 2010

We spent the day talking with both Russian and Western media about what we have observed as we have met with human rights defenders on the front lines here in Russia. Click the link below for the Washington Post Article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/14/AR2010121404943.html

We also had a very productive meeting with the U.S. Embassy officials, in which we made our position clear that we believe human rights must be an important part of American foreign policy. As the U.S Congress debates the New START Treaty this week it is important for Members to know who they are negotiating with.

We are planning to be at the courthouse all day tomorrow for the reading of the verdict and remain hopeful that we will have good news to report.

Update from Moscow, December 13, 2010 - Katrina Lantos Swett

Today we participated in a roundtable discussion with human rights activists centered on the rule of law and the status of human rights in Russia. We were joined by representatives from Human Rights Watch, The Soldiers’ Rights Foundation, Movement for Human Rights, and The Public Coalition to Protect Moscow as well as journalist and human rights activist Aleksander Podrabinek, actress/activist Tatiana Dogileva, and Lyudmila Alekseyeva, a veteran of the Soviet dissident movement and chair of Russian’s oldest human rights organization, Moscow Helsinki Group. The discussion was moderated by journalist Natella Boltyanskaya of ECHO Moscow, one of the few state-independent news outlets in Russia.

No matter what human rights issue was being discussed, the conversation repeatedly returned to the need for a truly independent judiciary. Inevitably, this brought us to the ongoing farce of justice in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. His trial has become a symbol of political repression and legal injustice in Russia, and the verdict in his second prosecution (some would say persecution) is due on Wednesday. Lyudmila quite correctly stated that if there had been a real trial, with real evidence submitted, Khodorkovsky’s acquittal would be assured. The world has been treated to yet another Russian show trial, and the verdict will not be a just measure of the defendant’s innocence or guilt. It will, however, be a judgment on the Russian judicial system.

Statement on the Trial of Jailed Businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky by Katrina Lantos Swett

On Tuesday, November 2, the second show trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky concluded amidst calls from human rights groups, Russian intellectuals, and celebrities and government leaders from the West, for an end to what is clearly a case of political persecution that has made a mockery of the rule of law and has turned the Russian judiciary into an instrument of political revenge.

The record of abusive conduct against Mr. Khodorkovsky and his co-defendant Platon Lebedev in the course of this legal battle is lengthy and pervasive. But at its heart, this case is not only about the law. It is about freedom and individual rights, which laws are meant to protect, and whether the state has the power to rob, threaten, and jail, those who dare to challenge it.

In his eloquent “last words” to the court, Mikhail Khodorkovsky said “They turned us, ordinary people, into symbols of a struggle against lawlessness. This is not our achievement. It is theirs.” It is a shameful achievement and one that demands a strong and unyielding response from people of goodwill around the world.

In 2005 when the first verdict against Mikhail Khodorkovsky was pronounced, Congressman Tom Lantos stood on the steps of the Moscow courthouse to denounce the verdict and to warn that it symbolized both an individual miscarriage of justice and an ominous sign of Russia’s slide back toward authoritarianism. As we await the verdict of this 2nd trial, the world must again speak out against lawlessness, creeping tyranny, and fear.

In his last remarks Mikhail said “I am not at all an ideal person, but I am a person with an idea” What is that idea? “…that Russia will after all become a country of freedom and of the law…where supporting opposition parties will cease being a cause for reprisals…where human
rights will no longer depend on the mood of the Tsar. Good or evil”

This is an idea worth fighting for, not only for the people of Russia, but for people everywhere. That is why the Lantos Foundation joins with so many others - human rights activists, government leaders, and millions of ordinary people - in calling for the release of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and a return to integrity and rule of law for the people of Russia.

Press Statement on Human Rights Abuses in Russia

In a sad week for the cause of human rights in Russia, the government has shown once again its true colors towards the brave citizens who highlight abuses throughout the country. In the wake of one slain human rights worker and the discovery of another missing activist’s body, the Tatarstan regional police raided the Kazan Human Rights Center, confiscated computers and detained its director, all under the pretext of an innocuous tax investigation. The Lantos Foundation unequivocally condemns this brazen police action, the kind of thuggish harassment
which has no place in a democratic society.

With each tragic revelation, the Russian government loses more credibility in the fight to protect basic rights against rogue police action. The Lantos Foundation calls on President Medvedev to stem this moral and legal drift and produce substantive reforms protecting the rights of individuals and especially those groups dedicated to human rights. As a former law professor, President Medvedev knows that the road of “legal nihilism” which Russia is currently traveling will only lead to a dead end as far as strengthening democracy, human rights and prosperity for the Russian people.