Russian-Chechen Friendship Society
Encyclopedia
The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS) was a Russia
n non-governmental organization
monitoring the human rights
situation in Chechnya
and other parts of the North Caucasus
. The society produced daily press releases on serious human rights violations. At its main office Nizhny Novgorod
, where it produced the Rights Protection newspaper jointly with the Nizhny Novgorod Human Rights Society
. The RFCFS received the 2004 Recognition Award by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
.
In February 2006 the society's director, Stanislav Dmitrievsky, was convicted of "inciting ethnic hatred" by publishing articles written by leaders of the secession. In one, Aslan Maskhadov
called on the international community to broker negotiations to stop the conflict in Chechnya. In another, Akhmed Zakayev
appealed to Russian voters not to reelect President Vladimir Putin
and claimed the conflict benefited only Putin. The Society was formally closed by Russian authorities in October 2006 but it continued some of its activities. The organization now maintains its legal presence in Finland
.
In January 2007 the society had planned to start hearings on war crime
s and human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated in Chechnya, basing its action on historical precedents, such as the Nuremberg Trials
, the U.N.'s
International Court of Justice
, the international criminal tribunals investigating charges of war crimes committed in Yugoslavia
, the Rwanda
, Sierra Leone
, and Iraq
.
In September 2007 the United States
boycott
ed an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
conference in Vienna
on the victims of terrorism
after the RCFS was barred from taking part. A U.S. representative referred to the group as "reputable" and lodged a formal protest over its exclusion.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
monitoring the human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
situation in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
and other parts of the North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
. The society produced daily press releases on serious human rights violations. At its main office Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, where it produced the Rights Protection newspaper jointly with the Nizhny Novgorod Human Rights Society
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. The RFCFS received the 2004 Recognition Award by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights was a self-governing group of non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations that act to protect human rights throughout Europe, North America and Central Asia...
.
In February 2006 the society's director, Stanislav Dmitrievsky, was convicted of "inciting ethnic hatred" by publishing articles written by leaders of the secession. In one, Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Maskhadov
Aslan Aliyevich Maskhadov was a leader of the Chechen separatist movement and the third President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.He was credited by many with the Chechen victory in the First Chechen War, which allowed for the...
called on the international community to broker negotiations to stop the conflict in Chechnya. In another, Akhmed Zakayev
Akhmed Zakayev
Akhmed Khalidovich Zakayev is the former Deputy Prime Minister and the current Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria , which is unrecognised by other countries...
appealed to Russian voters not to reelect President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
and claimed the conflict benefited only Putin. The Society was formally closed by Russian authorities in October 2006 but it continued some of its activities. The organization now maintains its legal presence in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
In January 2007 the society had planned to start hearings on war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s and human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated in Chechnya, basing its action on historical precedents, such as the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
, the U.N.'s
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
, the international criminal tribunals investigating charges of war crimes committed in Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
, the Rwanda
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan...
, Sierra Leone
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
, and Iraq
Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal
The Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal is a body established under Iraqi national law to try Iraqi nationals or residents accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other serious crimes committed between 1968 and 2003. It organized the trial of Saddam Hussein and other members of his...
.
In September 2007 the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
ed an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
conference in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on the victims of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
after the RCFS was barred from taking part. A U.S. representative referred to the group as "reputable" and lodged a formal protest over its exclusion.