CHECHNYA: COUNCIL OF EUROPE FACT FINDING MISSION

(17 Jan 2001) English/Nat
XFA
The leader of a fact-finding mission from the Council of Europe has criticized Russian forces for mistreating civilians in Chechnya.
Lord Judd, chief of the political affairs committee in the council's Parliamentary Assembly, expressed concern over the difficulties faced by the Chechnya's civilian population.
He claimed these included disappearances, maltreatment, harassment, extortion and possibly also mass killings.
On Tuesday Judd visited the Chernokozovo detention center.
Former inmates and human rights advocates have complained of frequent human rights abuses at the center, including torture, but the complaints have fallen off in recent months.
Judd spoke with prisoners who said they were treated well, but expressed concern that none could afford to hire lawyers.
A few alleged that federal forces had planted drugs on them so they could be arrested.
In a series of heated meetings with Russian officials in Chechnya, the leader of a fact-finding mission from the Council of Europe on Tuesday criticized Russian forces for mistreating civilians.
Judd's delegation is to prepare a report for a debate at the Parliamentary Assembly later this month over whether to restore Russia's voting rights.
The assembly suspended Russia's vote last winter to protest military abuses in Chechnya, including alleged
massacres, bombing of civilian areas, arbitrary arrests and looting.
Russia has rejected the criticism, denying widespread abuses and insisting that the war is an internal affair.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There are still many difficulties. And in some ways I believe the situation has become even more complex, because it's not a straightforward war situation now, and you know how strongly I felt about that. But it's now a very complicated situation about security issues and the abuse of power in some situations which is much more difficult to deal with."
SUPER CAPTION: Lord Judd, Head of PACE Delegation

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