Key Issues in Brief…

(brief review of the Council’s activities)

The Council shares concerns of people about the “Moscow - St. Petersburg” highway to be built through the Khimki wood meadow.

Having monitored the situation, the Council requested First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to give an order to consider alternative suggestions on the highway route around the Khimki wood meadow, taking herewith into account the requirements of Russia’s ecological legislation, as well as the interests of people.
February 14, 2008

The Council urged the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Federal Penitentiary Service, and the Moscow City Court to undertake immediate measures, so that Mr. Alexanian would get appropriate treatment in an AIDS specialized hospital.

The Federal Penitentiary Service has made a decision to transfer Mr.Alexanian to a municipal specialized medical centre in Moscow.
February 1, 2008, Interfax. - Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Civil Society and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President, expressed her concerns over the situation around former top-manager of YUKOS Vasily Alexanian.
“The terrible situation around critically ill Vasily Alexanian must be changed immediately. I would hope that the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General’s Office, acting on the basis of their empowerment, according to both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution, will find an opportunity to handle this person’s problem humanly and charitably”, said Ella Pamfilova.
“If the situation around Vasily Alexanian and other critically ill prisoners does not improve, then we should not be surprised or angry at hard-hitting estimates given to the situation of human rights in Russia by reputable human rights NGOs, i.e. Human Rights Watch”, noted Ella Pamfilova.
February 01, 2008

The British Council must not fall victim of the temporarily worsened relations between Moscow and London.

January 14, 2000, Moscow, Interfax – Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Civil Society and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President, is convinced that the British Council must stay in Russia.
“I have not understood yet what concrete claims are against the British Council. Besides some vague wordings, there is nothing at all that I can put my finger on”, said Ella Pamfilova to Interfax on Monday.
“…I would not like that the British Council as well as other NGOs extending interaction between our countries will fall victims of the temporarily worsened relations”, stressed the Council’s Chair.
January 14, 2008

January 9, 2008, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin met with the Council’s Chair Ella Pamfilova. Violated rights of the deceived house-building investors were key issue of the discussion.

Ella Pamfilova said that the Council’s working group had conducted a monitoring of the situation around 87 problem housing projects in 13 regions of Russia. Herewith, it became clear that the problems of private investors were solved more successfully in the Nizhniy Novgorod Region and in the Ulianovsk Region, where regional purpose-oriented programmes had been adopted and being realized.
Vladimir Putin charged Russia’s Prime Minister Victor Zubkov with task to study suggestions, submitted by the Council’s working group on how to normalize the situation in the house-building area.

Statement by the Council’s Chair Ella Pamfilova

My colleagues and I are deeply concerned about the lately increasing tendency toward violation of people's constitutional rights. The latest illustration to it was an outrageous case in Ingushetia when a human rights activist from “Memorial” and journalists of Ren TV channel were kidnapped.
The Council urges the higher leadership of federal and regional authorities – especially in days before the parliamentary elections – not to afford as well as to prevent -- if committed by subordinate bodies -- all types of administrative and illegal outrage against citizens, i.e. restricting rallies, marshes, and demonstrations; cutting freedom of expression within the pale of laws; violating citizens’ rights on full and true information; as well as preventing journalists to discharge their professional obligations.
27 November 27, 2007

The Council asked Russia’s Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to treat legally acts of force committed by the law enforcement employees against citizens standing around places, where "March of objectors" supposed to be held.

April 17, 2007, the Council found it necessary to ask Russia’s Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to treat legally the facts published by Mass Media.
Ella Pamfilova announced that after the events occurred on April 14 Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliev had to resign. “The authorities not just worked roughly, they exposed to a risk Russia’s reputation in the world. Teach yourself to take it slow, otherwise resign!”
April 17, 2007

A founding congress of emerging human rights movement “Human and Law” took place in Moscow (Ponomariov about the Council).

Veteran of Russia’s human rights movement Lev Ponomariov doubted the emerging organization (“Human and Law”) would become independent. According to his version, all those human rights agencies, previously established under patronage of authorities, appeared to be bureaucratic and inefficient, with the exception of the Presidential Council on Human Rights chaired by Ella Pamfilova.
12 December, 2007

The Council requested Russia’s Prosecutor General Yury Chaika to make an inspection if the compulsory treatment in a psychoneurologic dispensary of Murmansk was ordered for L.Arap, an activist of the United Civil Front, legally and correctly.

Due to dome doctors’ medical comment of August 20, 2007, L.Arap was released from the dispensary for domiciliary ambulatory medical care.
July 31, 2007

The Council addressed to Russia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliev with concerns about payment defaults on so-called “war allowances” owing to the law enforcement employees.
According to the Committee on Solving Problems of People Employed by Chechnya’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, in the Republic of Chechnya there emerged a critical situation around payment defaults on so-called “war allowances” owing to the law enforcement employees.
In this connection, on March 29, 2007, the Council considered it necessary to urge Russia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliev to take appropriate measures in order to solve the problem as soon as possible.

The Council requested Russia’s President to have examined if Mikhail Korshunov was legally held in custody.
In late 2006, the Council addressed to the Prosecutor General’s Office and to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation with the purpose to defend the rights of accused citizens M.Korshunov and V.Govorushko who at that point in time were held in custody. The European Court on Human Rights has examined on a priority basis if such a severe pretrial restriction had been legal and reasonable in that particular case.
January 26, 2007, the Council requested Russia’s President to have examined if the accused persons were held in custody reasonably. In February 2007, the court of Nizhniy Novgorod’s Avtozavodsky district changed the pretrial restriction and the accused citizens were released on bail.

In 2006, within the framework of Russia’s G8 Presidency, the Council facilitated interaction between the official G8 and civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The process of interaction with civil sector externalized itself as a project called the Civil G8-2006. Within the framework of the Civil G8-2006, six core events were held. They had serious international resonance and introduced significant innovations in the process of communication between international civil society and the G8.
1. NGO expert roundtable on issues of energy security, education and health, with participation by representatives of foreign civil associations (16 February 2006, Moscow).
2. International Non-governmental Organisations Forum (9-10 March 2006, Moscow, 320 participants, around 100 from abroad, over 100 from Russia's regions and the remainder from Russian national organisations). The key moment of the forum was a meeting without precedent in the history of the G8, at which a wide range of international NGO representatives met with Sherpas from all the G8 member states. Previously only Sherpas from separate nations (five in 2005) had taken part in meetings with public organizations, which took place in private, with participation limited to 30 persons.
3. Meeting of experts and international NGO representatives with Sherpas from all G8 member states (18-19 May 2006, Moscow/Kazan). This meeting was charged with continuing a tradition established during the Canadian and UK presidencies. In 2003 and 2005 international NGO representatives met with G8 Sherpas in an informal setting to discuss the most important global development problems affecting civil society. At the Moscow meeting civil organizations from Russia, Canada, the UK, Germany, the USA, France, Africa and Latin America were represented (in all 30 persons). This meeting was also unique, as it was the first time that Sherpas from all the G8 states had met with public representatives in private.
4. On 3-4 July 2006 the key event of the project took place in Moscow – the Civil G8 2006 International Non-governmental Organizations Forum. Over 600 representatives from all over the world took part (both from G8 member states and from other states of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America). Another first in the club's history was the participation of the head of the G8 president state, President Putin, who heard the recommendations of the civil society representatives and provided answers to the most pressing questions concerning international society. The same day, President Putin also met with leaders of global NGOs within the Civil G8 framework.
5. The 'Africa Partnership Forum and the African Development Agenda' international NGO roundtable (24-25 October 2006, Moscow), during which a unique meeting took place between representatives of international civil society, primarily African NGOs, and the APF's co-chairpersons.
6. 'Delivering the 2006 G8 Agenda' final NGO conference (Moscow, 2 December). An enlarged session of the Advisory Council was held, with participation by the heads of those NGOs that had been most active and shown the greatest interest in realizing the Civil G8 2006 project (around 100 persons in all), at which public monitoring of summit resolutions took place, the consultative process during Russia's presidency was summed up, and the 'baton' was informally passed over to German NGOs.
Over 2000 Russian and foreign NGOs were involved into the G8-Stakeholder consultations. An unusual mediator of the project, its discussion field, accumulator of ideas and recommendations was the Project bilingual (Russian and English) web-site www.civilg8.ru, which will function in further years as well.
Twice, on May 14, 2007 and January 16, 2008, the Council’s Chair Ella Pamfilova represented Russia in Berlin, at meetings of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel with leaders of reputable International NGOs.

On the route of the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline.

At his meeting with the Council in 2005, Russia’s President was provided with expert papers, which proved that the suggested route of the oil pipeline along Lake Baikal shore and construction of a pipeline terminal in Perevoznaya harbor in the south of Primorye Territory were quite unacceptable. The experts did not deny the very idea of the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean oil pipeline but they suggested alternative routes for it and offered other potential locations for the terminal.
In April 2006, the President personally ordered to push away the oil pipeline from Lake Baikal.

On monitoring of fulfillment of recommendations provided by the Report of CE Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles to the CE Committee of Ministers and CE Parliament Assembly "On Human Rights Observance in the Russian Federation".

By order of Russia’s President, the Council has performed civil monitoring of fulfillment of recommendations provided by the Report of CE Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles to the CE Committee of Ministers and CE Parliament Assembly "On Human Rights Observance in the Russian Federation". The Report was compiled after the Commissioner twice visited the Russian Federation in 2004. July 15-30, 2004, Ella Pamfilova accompanied Alvaro Gil-Robles in his trip across Russia.
The Council collected information from appropriate federal ministries and agencies, from representatives of Russia’s President in federal districts, from regional authorities of Russia’s subjects, and from research centers and experts. On the basis of these data, there was compiled a reference material on how efficiently the recommendations of Robles’ Report were being fulfilled.
The reference material has been submitted to Russia’s President.

On release of A.Zatoka, co-chair of International Socio-Ecological Union, from a prison in Turkmenistan.

At the meeting of Russia’s President with the Council on January 11, 2007, V.Putin was asked to help forward the release of Russian citizen A.Zatoka, co-chair of International Socio-Ecological Union, from a prison in Turkmenistan. Previously, A.Zatoka had been unreasonably detained in Ashgabat.
The Council members handed over to the President a letter in support of A.Zatoka that had been signed by over 280 NGOs from a number of CIS countries. As a result, on January 31, 2007, A.Zatoka was sentenced to 3-year probation and released in the courtroom. Then in November, he was amnestied.

On setting up the Youth medical centers.

At the meeting on January 11, 2007, the Council requested Russia’s President to consider its suggestion on developing a special youth direction within the demographic and social policy and supplying the national project “Health” with the programme “Youth Health”.
Within the "Youth Health" programme, the Council suggested to set up regional Network of Youth medical centers for Russia’s citizens 18-29 years of age.
As a result of the meeting, Russia’s President charged the Government with a task to consider the Council’s suggestion on setting up the Youth medical centers.

Extracts from Ella Pamfilova’s presentation at the meeting of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin with of the Council members on January 11, 2007.
(extracts from the verbatim report)
“…a situation we are very concerned about (and we faced it during the Social Forum in Saint-Petersburg in days of the G8 summit). I mean a tendency towards restricting possibilities for our people to organize rallies and marches. The tendency reveals itself. Regrettably, very often it is easier for regional authorities to ban a public rally than to ensure its security. And it is easier for law enforcement agencies to isolate somebody in advance, to put him in poky or to take him into custody for several days, while a mass action is being held, than to make some preventive arrangements, to create conditions appropriate for normal expression of someone’s political position, even if somebody dislikes it. If organizers of a mass rally or marsh break the law, it is necessary just to bring them to responsibility at court, but not to ban the event…”
“…we faced such cases during the July summit last year. We received such claims, and we informed our law enforcement agencies about the facts that we had. But till now we have been getting only runarounds, like: all is splendid, everything is OK and there are no any violations at all. There is a tension in this sphere, and it is bad. I consider that these banning measures could only radicalize and marginalize many political groups, instead of letting them openly express their views in political struggle, so that they could learn to defend their own political positions within the pale of laws. This can bring negative results only…”
“…Now about the second group - do not wonder - of the two I have just mentioned. It is very vulnerable as well and requires your presidential protection. I mean journalists. This is about the situation with Mass Media, freedom of speech, freedom of press in general. The work of honest, fair, independent journalists becomes more difficult due to reasons of administrative pressure, economical, and financial matters, etc. Serious press is being displaced by yellow one because of the same problems. A great worry of journalists (according to the data of the "Glasnost" Foundation and other journalistic associations) is that many official bodies refuse to provide information. Subsequently, the society suffers from the lack of hard news. I suppose that there is a subtle task here, of course. On the one hand, it is necessary to secure the freedom of Mass Media, so to say - to take them under your wing; but on the other hand we must not suffocate them by bear-hugging…”
“…And now I say briefly about the elections. Of course, I would like to come back to this issue again. Regrettably, both our Duma’s majority, and our lawmakers have tried to adapt this electoral law to their own needs as much as possible. I mean now in fact the public control over elections can be carried out only through political parties. The voter turnout threshold has been scraped. After canceling the "against all candidates" option on the ballots as well as introducing the high 7% barrier there emerged a situation, which is very suitable for those at Duma now present, including the party in power. The situation is absolutely satisfactory for them. In practice there could be no TV debates any more. Although a lawmaker explains that the provision concerns only TV reels, but this crucial moment is not fixed by the law. Consequently, it can be interpreted in a way, so that all TV debates will be brought to some exchange of niceties, while any counter-agitation is practically not foreseen. Then, guys, how is it? How should somebody gain voter’s support? Well, let them go ahead, let them try to gain! We need an idea competition, excuse me. Moreover, I think, it would be very useful for those habituated themselves to use your personal political weight. Let them earn their own authority in a competition. Thus, the biggest danger for us, for Russia is the desire of our elites to monopolize all spheres: political, social, financial, economic, and cultural. No, well. A competitive environment, an idea competition only can guarantee our development in future…”

On January 11, 2007, some members of the Council handed over to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin a letter with request to pardon Russian scientists I.V.Sutiagin and V.V.Danilov.

The letter was handed over to Vladimir Putin during his meeting with the Council members on January 11, 2007.

Open statement by the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President on anti-Georgian campaign emerged all over Russia.

The Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President considered at its session the issue of anti-Georgian campaign that emerged in many regions of Russia.
The Council warns that the anti-Georgian campaign and its methods influence the relations between our peoples negatively, damage Russia’s reputation as well as its judiciary, and – what is the most important – they let outrage go.
We call Russia’s officials to undertake immediate measures to restore law and order, principles of humanism and respect to the rights and liberties in the case of all people living in our Motherland.

On support to the draft Federal Constitutional Law № 38948-3 “On Amendments and Additions to the Federal Constitutional Law “On Judiciary System of the Russian Federation” with Regards to Establishing Juvenile Courts”.

In continuation of the work started by the Commission on Human Rights with regards to establishing “juvenile” judiciary in Russia, the Council’s Chair Ella Pamfilova requested Russia’s President to support draft Federal Constitutional Law № 38948-3 “On Amendments and Additions to the Federal Constitutional Law “On Judiciary System of the Russian Federation” with Regards to Establishing Juvenile Courts”.
…children are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable category of Russia’s population. We must establish legal mechanisms on the basis of juvenile judiciary, preventive measures, rehabilitation, children rights protection system…
As an experiment the juvenile courts have been established in the Rostov Region and in the Bryansk Region.

Ella Pamfilova met with persons injured by terrorist acts.

On February 28, 2006, Ella Pamfilova met in Moscow with injured persons and relatives of people killed by terrorist acts. “Mothers of Beslan”, “The Voice of Beslan”, “Nord-Ost”, “TU-134. Exploded destinies”, these names of non-governmental organizations that were represented at the meeting with the Chair of the Civil Society Institutions and Human rights Council under Russia’s President speak for themselves.
February 28, 2006

Ella Pamfilova stands against the draft Federal Law “On Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”.
Ella Pamfilova, Chair of the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President, stood against the draft Federal Law “On Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation”. The amendments affect the Federal Law “On Public Associations” and the Federal Law “On Non-Profit Organizations” and strengthen government control over NGO activities.
Ella Pamfilova considers this legislative act to paralyze Russia’s third sector. “…more odious draft law has not been submitted to the State Duma in its present term. The draft law is openly cynical in some passages and quite legally illiterate in others,” - she says.
“The Council members have compiled a letter to Russia’s President, pointing out their attitude to the submitted draft law. I hope that the President will lay our opinion to heart,”- noted Ella Pamfilova.
November 22, 2005

The Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council helped to publish “The World's Fairy Tales in Chechen Language”.

The third volume of “The World's Fairy Tales in Chechen Language” was presented in the Independent Press-Centre.
Svetlana Gannushkina, Chair of the Committee "Civil Assistance", told that the project had been initiated by Chechen journalist and translator Tamara Chagaeva who had gathered a group of colleagues and started translating the fairy tales in a complex environment. They had had practically neither home, nor technical basis. At the time, the Committee had been looking for funding to publish the book. "Various organizations refused to help us but we didn’t give up hope," – noted Gannushkina. The publication of the first two volumes was funded by the Council of Europe at the request of Commissionaire on Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles. The third volume was published due to funds provided by NGO “OPORA Rossii” on agreement with the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President.

The Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President achieved improvement of material standing for disabled veterans.

On the initiative of the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council, Russia's President signed the Edict “On Measures Improving Material Standing of Disabled Veterans” (№887 of August 1, 2005). According to the Edict, monthly pension rise is provided for more than 90 thousand military pensioners that became disabled because of injures they got in military service. Besides, Russia’s President insisted that the abovementioned pension rises should be paid out not from January 1, 2006 – as Russia’s Government supposed – but from September 1, 2005.
The problem is solved just due to insistence of the Council and immediate intervention of the President.

Open Letter of the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

The Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Council under Russia’s President is deeply concerned about wrong situation of civil liberties and human rights in Belarus. The Council deprecates actions of those Belarus officials who violate the constitutional rights of Byelorussians and Russians, citizens of the united state.
June, 2005

Chair of the Council Ella Pamfilova arrived in the Republic of Bashkortostan after a number of claims from locals who protested against numerous detentions, inflictions of bodily injury, and tortures committed by employees of the Republican Ministry of Internal Affairs during special raid in Blagoveshchensk December 10-14, 2005.

As a result of the official investigation, curator of the special raid, Bashkortostan’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs A.A.Smirnov was retired by the Edict of Russia’s President № 1126 of September 26, 2005.
Two beat officers, who offensively violated the rights of citizens and tried to cover over the consequences of the special raid, were found guilty and sentenced to probation.
December 10, 2004

On “monetization of benefits”.

The Council’s experts have analyzed socio-economic, legal, and political consequences that could be caused by adoption of the draft Federal Law № 58338-4 “On Amendments to Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation after Adoption of the Federal Law “On General Principles of Organization of Legislative (Representative) and Executive Bodies in the Subjects of the Russian Federation” and the Federal Law “On General Principles of Organization of Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation” (so-called “monetization” of benefits).
Expert papers and suggestions on the issue were submitted to Russia’s leadership.
The Council’s Chair made some press statements as well:
…The “monetization of benefits”, which was implemented in our country according to the well-known scenario, shattered people’s confidence to the government and to the reforms at all. Well, it must be confessed that social dissatisfaction becomes chronicle now…
…Well, the idea of “monetization” is excellent as such. But as the way it was implemented appeared to be wrong, now we have an even more expensive system, which is still based on the Soviet principle of dependency. The government has benefited of this reform nothing at all. It has not made its expenses efficient but, on the contrary - it rushed to patch holes feverishly, being pressed by the street rallies. It spends more funds. The control over funds allocation process is still inefficient. The outrage and corruption increased in fact…

Amendments to the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”.

In December 2002, Russia’s President met with the Commission on Human Rights. Amendments to the Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation" and to the Law “On Legal State of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” were a crucial issue of the discussions.
The President ordered to set up a working group for preparing amendments to Russia’s law “On Citizenship”. The Commission members were involved into this work as well. The amendments entered into force by November 11, 2003. According to those, the 14th Article on simplified procedure of the citizenship acquisition was completely revised. Since then, our former compatriots legally residing in Russia’s territory do not need anymore to fulfill the requirement of 5 year permanent living in the country, to prove sufficient means of subsistence, and to pass exam in Russian.
Thanks to this opportunity, around 850 000 people became Russian citizens in 2005-2006.

September 24, 2004

Counseling if the draft Federal Law "On Rallies, Meetings, Demonstrations, Marches, and Pickets" complies with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as with provisions of international and Russia’s federal legislation.

Experts of the Commission on Human Rights under Russia’s President, performing civil control over observance of human rights, counseled if the draft Federal Law "On Rallies, Meetings, Demonstrations, Marches, and Pickets" (which had been compiled by the Ministry of Justice and submitted to the Government) complied with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as with provisions of international and Russia’s federal legislation.
“The draft law contains failures. Currently this document is a masterpiece protecting bureaucrats from the people. In the near future, we submit our remarks to the State Duma...”
“…this law must not just formally but essentially comply with the generally accepted legal and constitutional norms. The law reassures the right of people to hold a meeting. But what do the participants need this meeting for if they are forced to hold it somewhere on the outskirts?” – said Pamfilova.
April 1, 2004

On situation around the internally displaced persons coming back to Chechnya from their camps in Ingushetia.

According to the order given by Russia’s President on December 10, 2002 at his meeting with the Commission on Human Rights, a working group set up by members of the Commission (Liudmila Alexeeva, Svetlana Gannushkina, Ella Pamfilova) has twice visited Chechnya and Ingushetia in order to get acquainted with the situation in places of temporary accommodation arranged for the internally displaced persons (IDP) who came from Chechnya.
Summarizing the results of its work, the group compiled a joint report for Russia’s President. The paper suggested particular recommendations on how to solve this problem

On the draft law “On Civil Control over Observance of Human Rights in Places of Forced Detention and on Assistance of Public Associations in Their Activities".

In April 2003, the Commission addressed to Russia’s President with a request to support the draft Federal Law “On Civil Control over Observance of Human Rights in Places of Forced Detention and on Assistance of Public Associations in Their Activities".
To date (as of February 19, 2008), the State Duma has adopted the draft law in the first reading. It regulates the relations that emerge under performing civil control over observance in places of forced detention such undeniable human rights as right to life, right to health and treatment, right to equal protection of the law, right to protection from tortures, outrage, or any outrageous, inhuman, and abusing treatment or punishment, right to be defended from abuse of power. Besides, the law determines the order for how NGOs can assist the work of penitentiary agencies and bodies, as well as places of forced detention.
It is supposed that the civil control will be carried out by civil supervising commissions set up in the subjects of the Russian Federation and competent within just these subjects. The commissions must be formed by the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation (Ombudsman) at NGO suggestions.