Rights activists respond to president's statement

The Russian Movement for Human Rights has issued a statement in connection with the assessment of the activity of nonpolitical non-governmental organizations (NGOs) made by the president of the Russian Federation. It is noted in the statement that the president's words are directed against the human rights organizations first of all: "Only human rights and ecological NGOs in Russia can count on serious support from foreign foundations since Russian businessmen barely support activity aimed at human rights protection and conservancy. Everyone knows the destiny of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who launched a large program to support public associations through the Open Russia foundation. The fact that the getting of official grants by human rights and ecological organizations is equated to the maintenance of "dubious interests" gives away the way of thinking typical for the State Security Committee (KGB) when any connection with the West is taken as something illegal."

The Movement for Human Rights calls attention to the fact that "in his speech, President Vladimir Putin repeated the insult against human rights activists hurled by General Valery Krayev three weeks ago. It is clear that the president's attack is not accidental. It can be connected with sharp criticism on the part of human rights activists concerning the violence in Chechnya, political persecution, wide use of torture and abuse in the law enforcement and penitentiary systems, with protests against violations of the law in the Yukos case, and in the cases of Igor Sutyagin and Mikhail Trepashkin."

The Movement for Human Rights says with confidence that after this speech delivered by the president "Russian human rights activists will much more vigorously and persistently fulfill "the president's wish" to concentrate on the most acute human rights problems in our country."