26 May 2004 13:57
Ombudsman denies Russian human rights activists` alleged criminal links
May
Vladimir Lukin [human rights plenipotentiary] was heavily critical of the Ministry of Justice at a news conference
devoted to the war on drugs the other day. It will be recalled that Vladimir Krayev, first deputy chief of the [Russian
Justice Ministry] main penal administration, recently accused human rights organizations of unlawful links with criminal
structures.
In conversation with your Nezavisimaya Gazeta correspondent, Lukin did not hold back from expressing himself in the
strongest possible terms with regard to his opponents: "His (Krayev's - Nezavisimaya Gazeta) functions do not
consist of making declarations, but in keeping his house in order." The reaction in the regions to the
law-enforcement chief's allegation is causing the ombudsman "particular concern". "Human rights
campaigners in Adygea had decided to take a look at the conditions in which prisoners are kept," Lukin complained.
"In response they were told that they have links with criminal circles. I cannot rule it out that a criminal may
infiltrate human rights organizations, but one must produce actual data! Otherwise, the question of law-enforcement
agencies exceeding their powers arises and we shall insist that these questions be withdrawn. I have already contacted
the justice minister [Yuriy Chayka] and drawn his attention to this fact."
Lukin was supported by Oleg Zykov, a member of the Russian president's Human Rights Commission. According to
him, the previous day, at the public council under the Ministry of Justice, Krayev had already made an attempt to
justify himself to the human rights campaigners he had offended: the official "had maintained that this was not at
all what he had meant", after which he had placated the gathering with a promise of a new declaration oriented
"primarily towards regional power within the penal administrations".
Lukin, however, approves of lessening the liability for the possession of narcotic substances - as "this
complies with the strictest international standards". Criticism of the corresponding amendment to the Criminal Code
arouses the ombudsman's indignation: "I have the impression that a campaign is under way to defend
departmental and therefore mercenary interests. One may discern a serious determination on the part of a number of
persons and departments to create a false account of the war on drugs." Lukin advised law-enforcement agencies that
are unhappy with the innovation "not to complain, but to forge ahead, concentrating on the major drugs
traffic". Zykov, who agreed with his colleague, directly named the department under criticism - the Russian
Federation Federal Service for Controlling the Trade in Drugs and Psychotropic Substances - and remarked, smiling: The
war on drugs is "an overly complex affair" for the federal service for drugs trade control, whose task is to
fulfil the president's order "to track down dirty money".
[Nezavisimaya Gazeta] |
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