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Old Problems Persist - New Challenges Advance
Vienna, Strasbourg, 22 June 2004. Today, the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) officially published its annual report Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2004 (Events of 2003). The presentation of the report took place at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg. The report describes human rights developments in the participating states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in 2003.
While some positive developments were recorded, the general view in terms of realizing basic human rights and democratic developments was gloomy. While the situation in most former Soviet republics deteriorated, the human rights record of the Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) was particularly worrisome. Chechnya, now in the fifth year of an undeclared war characterized by disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force, summary executions and widespread torture, mop-up operations (“zachistkas”), bribe-taking and intimidating at checkpoints, all accompanied by hundreds of disappearances, and nearly 100% impunity for the perpetrators.
Measures taken by many established democracies to fight terrorism and organized crime put basic human rights and freedoms seriously at stake. Freedom of the media and investigative journalism met growing problems in several states, including some in Western Europe (e.g. Belgium, France and the United Kingdom).
New legislation was passed in those countries that joined the European Union in May 2004 to bring domestic laws up to par with European standards. In practice, improvements took form slowly, but numerous problems remained unresolved. Many governments cited lack of funds to carry out improvements, failing to realize that many measures can also be taken without extensive financial burden. Turkey adopted new laws in order to start negotiations for EU membership, but did not always fully implement them and in some cases passed new, regressive laws.
The IHF report covers almost 30 human rights topics, focusing mainly on civil and political rights such as the freedom of expression (and media rights), association and religion; the right to peaceful assembly; the rule of law, judicial systems and the right to fair trial; the death penalty, political killings and “disappearances.” It also sheds light to conditions in prisons and police custody and detainees’ rights as well as torture, ill-treatment and other forms of police misconduct. Other issues include, for example, intolerance, racism and hate speech (including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia); trafficking in human beings; women’s rights, international humanitarian law and accountability for war crimes.
In addition to civil and political rights, the IHF report also describes the increasingly deteriorating economic and social rights in many former socialist states, particularly the former Soviet republics. Poverty was the main social problem in numerous countries. Unemployment grew and resources were cut in education, health care, and other fields of major importance for future development.
The report and a summary of it are available at the IHF Secretariat, tel. +43-1-408 8822, e-mail: office@ihf-hr.org. The report is also posted at:
http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=3860
For more information, please contact:
Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director, +43-1-408 88 22
Henriette Schroeder, Press Officer, +43-676-690 2457
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