Amnesty International material on Chechnya seized as "anti-Russian government propaganda"

LONDON - Two boxes containing Amnesty International's report on Chechnya, "For the Motherland" were confiscated by Russian customs officials on May 28 as Mariana Katzarova, the organization's researcher on the Russian Federation, including Chechnya, arrived at Moscow's Sheremetievo Airport.

Ms. Katzarova was traveling to Vladikavkaz in the Republic of North Ossetia to attend a seminar on "Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights in the North Caucasus" at the invitation of the Russian government. The seminar is co-organized with the Council of Europe.

Officials at Sheremetyevo Airport opened the boxes containing Amnesty International's report and commented that they seemed to be "anti-Russian government propaganda" which criticized the Russian Ministry of Interior and the police. Russian officials in the airport conferred over what to do and their discussions seemed to focus on the content of the report.

Finally, they decided to seize the materials on the grounds that they were not convinced that Amnesty International would not use the report for "commercial purposes."

Amnesty International spokespersons said the organization is concerned that this type of event sets a dangerous precedent which brings to mind old Soviet practices. Moreover, this incident calls into question the real commitment of the Russian authorities to investigate human rights violations, particularly in Chechnya, and their commitment to freedom of speech.

Ms. Katzarova has informed the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about this incident and has requested its cooperation in getting the reports released. However, so far this has not been achieved.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 11, 2000, No. 24, Vol. LXVIII

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