23 January 2009

(International monitors need to remain in Georgia, U.S. official says)

Washington — The three-day-old administration of Barack Obama has spoken out on a broad range of human rights concerns in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.

Kyle Scott, charge d’affairs at the U.S. mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), made five statements January 22 on human rights issues in several OSCE-participating states.

U.S. officials say the number of statements reflects the backup of business following the winter break and do not necessarily reflect a change in policy or emphasis on the part of the Obama administration.

Scott called on Russia to investigate and report to the OSCE on the January 19 murders of Stanislav Markelov, director of the Rule of Law Institute in Moscow, and Anastasia Barburova, a journalist with Novaya Gazeta. The EU presidency and the Russian delegation to the OSCE also expressed concern about the cases.

“If left without justice, the killings of journalists and human rights activists have a chilling effect on freedom and respect for the rule of law in a society,” Scott said. He added that since the year 2000, Novaya Gazeta has lost four reporters to murder or other “mysterious circumstances.”

GEORGIA

Scott also called for efforts to stem the level of violence in the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. He said that as recently as January 16, a Georgian policeman was shot and killed in the Georgian-administered village of Knolevi by a gunman in the breakaway South Ossetian region.

In August, Russian forces moved into Georgian territory following an attack by Georgian troops on South Ossetian militia forces. Over the past five months, more than 10 Georgian policemen have been shot and killed, and kidnappings, ethnic cleansing and attacks on Georgian officials and property are continuing, Scott said. “These actions are unacceptable,” he said. They help make the argument for continued OSCE presence in Georgia “not only to help deter violence, promote human rights, and encourage dialogue and reconciliation” but also to monitor the commitments by Russia to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, Scott said.

Scott said Russia maintains forces in Georgia near the town of Perevi, in the Akhalgori region, and in the Upper Kodori Valley, areas that were never controlled by Russia or separatist forces prior to the August war.

In 2008, Russia vetoed an extension of the mandate that allows for OSCE military observers in Georgia. Recently, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is reported as expressing confidence that a deal could be reached on the observers.

Greece currently chairs the OSCE, and Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis has been in Moscow for talks with Lavrov.

“The situation on the ground remains volatile,” Bakoyannis said. “Incidents are happening on a frequent basis. I strongly believe that the current situation requires more and not less OSCE presence on both sides of the administrative boundary line.”

BELARUS, KYRGYZSTAN, KAZAKHSTAN

The United States also challenged Belarus on earlier denials that human rights defender Alyaksandr Barazenko had been convicted following his participation in an entrepreneurs rally one year ago.

Scott said Barazenko was sentenced to one year to be served at home and that the appeal of his sentence was dismissed on January 13.

“We … continue to call on the government of Belarus to honor its international obligations and commitments to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens, and to promote democracy in Belarus,” Scott said.

Scott said a January 12 decree by Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev implementing new constraints on the ability of Kyrgyzstan citizens to practice religion is inconsistent with that country’s commitment to the OSCE on freedom of belief and assembly.

“The United States believes that the law as promulgated could result in diminished religious freedom and tolerance in the Kyrgyz Republic,” Scott said. “We view the adoption of this law as a step backward in a country that has come so far.”

Scott also raised continued concern about the arrest in Kazakhstan of Ramazan Yesergepov, the editor of the weekly Alma-Ata Info, over allegations of disclosing state secrets.

Scott suggested there is a need for more internal debate in Kazakhstan about the types of documents that should be covered by disclosure laws. “For instance, documents related to tax evasion or those whose revelation would simply be embarrassing to a government or to persons in positions of power would not be expected to meet that threshold in modern democracies,” Scott said.