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SLUG: 2-301701 IHF (L-O)
DATE: NOTE NUMBER: |
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DATE=4/3/2003 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=I-H-F-CHECHNYA (L-O) NUMBER=2-301701 BYLINE=MELANIE SULLY DATELINE=VIENNA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights wants the international community to set up a tribunal to try war crimes and crimes against humanity in Chechnya. Melanie Sully reports from Vienna where the organization has its headquarters. TEXT: Human rights defenders want a war tribunal modeled on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to bring justice to those guilty of human rights abuses in Chechnya. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights supports a resolution passed Wednesday by the Council of Europe that calls for such a tribunal. In Moscow, a Russian spokesman for Chechnya dismissed the proposed court as, in his words, judicially meaningless and described the initiative as politically harmful. The International Helsinki Federation says Russia has failed to prosecute persons who committed human-rights violations in the 1994-1995 conflict. It adds that Russian soldiers and Chechen soldiers continue to violate human rights today because they know they can get away with it.
Brigitte Dufour, deputy director of the International Helsinki Federation in Vienna, says a tribunal is necessary. /// DUFOUR ACT /// It seems clear more than ever now that only an independent international tribunal could finally bring justice to all Chechen victims of massive violations of human rights and humanitarian law there /// END ACT /// Last month a constitutional referendum was held in Chechnya. Ms. Dufour says the ballot, organized by the Russian military, was one of the most illegal and manipulated in the entire post-Soviet period. /// DUFOUR 2nd ACT /// It was done in a way that was reminiscent of Soviet times that was clearly a farce /// END ACT /// The Kremlin says that the referendum showed a majority in favor of democratic constitutional change that should bring stability to Chechnya. (SIGNED) NEB/MS/ALW/RAE/FC
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