The European Union has expressed concern over credible reports of ongoing human rights violations in Chechnya, in the Russian North Caucasus, and the inaction of the federal authorities in Moscow, and the impunity of those responsible for unlawful actions towards Chechen human rights defenders and their relatives. In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the European External Action Service, the EU said that Russian authorities should "investigate the case as well as to put an end to the persecution of human rights defenders and their family members and release those detained under the pretext of trumped-up charges immediately".
The full statement issued on Saturday (22 January) reads:
"Credible reports of continuous violations of human rights in Chechnya, the inaction of federal authorities in Moscow and the impunity of those responsible for unlawful actions towards Chechen human rights defenders and their relatives are a source of concern.
Recently reported cases of abduction, including the violent detention and forceful transfer to Chechnya of Ms Zarema Musayeva, the mother of the former lawyer of the “Committee Against Torture” Mr Abubakar Yangulbayev and Russian opposition blogger Mr Ibragim Yangulbayev in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, add to the already long list of human rights abuses in Chechnya.
The European Union calls on the Russian authorities to release Ms Musayeva, to investigate the case as well as to put an end to the persecution of human rights defenders and their family members and release those detained under the pretext of trumped-up charges immediately. All cases of extrajudicial executions, torture and other grave human rights violations committed over the last years must be investigated in a prompt and effective manner and those responsible must be brought to justice.
The European Union expects the Russian Federation to uphold its international commitments and domestic obligations under Russian law on human rights and fundamental freedoms."
