Chechnya: Human Rights

(asked on 8th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement of the Global Human Rights sanctions regime, what actions they are taking to pursue those responsible for the abuse, torture and disappearances in Chechnya since the late 1990s.


Answered by
Baroness Sugg Portrait
Baroness Sugg
This question was answered on 17th July 2020

We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia, including in Chechnya. In December 2018 the UK was one of 16 countries to invoke the OSCE's Moscow Mechanism, requiring an independent OSCE investigation into reports of serious human rights violations in the region. The OSCE Moscow Mechanism's independent 2018 report confirmed allegations of serious human rights violations in Chechnya including unlawful detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. We continue to urge Russia to implement the recommendations made in the Moscow Mechanism report and to end the climate of impunity for human rights abusers in Chechnya. The UK Government has raised this issue repeatedly with the Russian Government and made clear that Russia must abide by its international human rights obligations. On 17 June 2020, Minister Morton raised this with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Titov.

As the Foreign Secretary made clear, the Global Human Rights sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. We will continue to consider designating persons under the Global Human Rights sanctions regulations in order to deter and provide accountability for serious human rights violations or abuses around in the world, as one response among other diplomatic tools.

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