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Borys Kosarev: Modernist Kharkiv, 1915-1931 at The Ukrainian Museum thru May 2, 2012
Posted by Wasyl Gorbachuk on May 30, 2000 at 19:22:12:
In Reply to: Re: Moscow Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies posted by Pavlo on May 30, 2000 at 01:08:52:
:
: key words about institute: international NGO, Igrunov, YABLOKO, June 19, 2000 - Kyiv
What is the view of Moscow Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies on the following:
Two boxes containing Amnesty International's report on Chechnya "For the Motherland" were confiscated by Russian customs officials on 28 May as Mariana Katzarova, the organization's researcher on the Russian Federation, including Chechnya, arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
Mariana Katzarova was travelling 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 criticised 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 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.