Brussels, 17/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - "Torture and other forms of ill-treatment are constantly used by members of the Russian federal and law-enforcement forces operating in the Chechen Republic. Also, measures taken to bring those responsible for such action before justice are often slow and finally prove ineffective". It is in such terms that the Council of Europe's Committee on the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment condemned the practice being carried out by the authorities of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation in a public statement issued last week. The CPT has carried out six visits over the past three years during which it has noted the difficulties encountered by the authorities due to action in opposition to the federal power. The CPT condemns such acts and understands the need for a firm response from the State institutions. Nonetheless, such a response should never degenerate into acts of torture or other forms of ill-treatment, the Committee stresses. The declaration mainly notes the use of methods such as very severe beatings, electric shocks and suffocation with a plastic bag or gas mask.
A first statement had been issued in July 2001 but, despite the sustained effort on the part of the CPT during the past two years, the Russian authorities have not effectively dealt with certain major problems connected to the Committee's mandate, the latter states.
The CPT invites the Russian authorities to take several measures including reinforcement of the services of the Chechen Republic's Prosecutor and the Military Prosecutor who conduct anti-terrorist operations in the northern Caucasus region, the strengthening of legal medical services in the Chechen Republic and the adoption of a formal statement from the highest political authority, denouncing the use of such ill-treatment.