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STRASBOURG, 27.03.2001 - A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has recently carried out a 5 day visit (19 to 23 March 2001) to the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.
The CPT's delegation examined the current situation as regards the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the Chechen Republic; it also followed up various issues raised in the report on its two visits to the North Caucasus in February/March and April 2000.
The visit was carried out by Zdenĕk HÁJEK, a Czech lawyer (Head of delegation), Ole Vedel RASMUSSEN, a Danish medical doctor, and Derrick POUNDER, a British forensic doctor. They were assisted by two members of the CPT's Secretariat, Trevor STEVENS (Executive Secretary) and Petya NESTOROVA.
The delegation held discussions with Lieutenant General V.P. BARANOV, Commander in Chief of the Allied Group of Armed Forces, Mr V.G. CHERNOV, Acting Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic, and Mr A.F. BIBIKOV, Military Prosecutor of the Allied Group of Armed Forces. It also had talks with members of the local administrations in Argun, Kurĉaloj, Šatoj and Urus-Martan. Further, the delegation paid a visit to the Znamenskoe Office of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for ensuring human rights and civil rights and freedoms in the Chechen Republic, and met representatives of the non-governmental organisation, Memorial.
The delegation visited the following places where persons deprived of their liberty may be held:
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Argun
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Goudermes
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Ocktyabrskyi District, Grozny
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Kurčaloj
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Šatoj
Temporary Department of Internal Affairs, Urus-Martan
Convoy Unit of the Ministry of Justice, Khankala Base of the Allied Group of
Armed Forces
SIZO No. 2, Chernokozovo.
The delegation also visited the main hospitals in Argun, Kurčaloj, Šatoj and Urus-Martan as well as the Forensic Bureau of the Chechen Republic (located at Clinical Hospital No.9 in Grozny).
At the end of the visit, the delegation held consultations with the Russian authorities.
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In accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the information gathered by the CPT during the visit and its consultations with the Russian authorities are confidential.
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The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Forty one of the 43 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, police and prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee's task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority and to interview those persons in private. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Further information about the CPT may be obtained from:
- the CPT's Internet Site: www.cpt.coe.int
- the Council of Europe Press Department:
Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27
90; e-mail pressunit@coe.int
Cathie BURTON, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 28 93; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90;
e-mail pressunit@coe.int
- the CPT's Secretariat: tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 39 39; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int
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