To the Government of the Russian Federation:
Direct government forces to cease violations of international humanitarian law
- Direct all Russian Federation forces--including Ministry of Defense troops, OMON and other
Ministry of Internal Affairs units--to cease violations of international humanitarian law,
including summary executions, rape, pillage, and the deliberate destruction of civilian property;
instruct these forces that perpetrators of such violations will bear criminal responsibility. Special
efforts should be made to convey this direction to contract soldiers.
- Direct all Russian Federation forces to stop the indiscriminate or disproportionate use of force
against the civilian population; take all necessary steps to protect civilian populations from the
effects of military and police operations;
Conduct a full and objective investigation into the massacre
- Reinvigorate the investigation of the abuses committed at Aldi and prosecute those found
responsible;
- Identify and immediately suspend the commanding officer or officers responsible for military
activity in Aldi, Grozny on February 5, pending the outcome of a full criminal investigation into
civilian killings by Russian forces that day;
- Identify and immediately suspend from duty those contract soldiers and OMON officers found to
have served in Aldi on February 5, and instigate criminal proceedings against those found to have
either engaged, assisted or otherwise participated in or knowingly and willfully failed to stop
summary executions, rape, arson, looting and other acts of wanton violence and destruction
against civilians and civilian property; identify which military units were in Aldi subsequent to
the massacre, in particular on February 10 who engaged in the looting of civilian homes in the
area and instigate criminal proceedings against them;
- Establish a witness protection program to protect witnesses from reprisals and to encourage
witnesses to the February 5 massacre to come forward. Potential witnesses should be made aware
of such a program.
- Conduct a diligent and independent investigation into rape and other forms of sexual violence
against women in Aldi, taking steps to ensure that those alleged to have committed rape or other
forms of sexual violence are prosecuted; ensure that the Aldi investigation team is gender-integrated and that whenever possible, interviews with rape victims will be conducted by female
investigators with training in rape investigations; include examinations for evidence of rape and
sexual violence in autopsies of female bodies;
Provide Access for the OSCE, Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations, and Media
- Cease delaying the deployment of the Assistance Group of the OSCE to Ingushetia and Chechnya
- Agree to the immediate deployment in Ingushetia and Chechnya of an independent, international
commission of inquiry with a mandate to investigate violations of international humanitarian law
and to recommend prosecutions in appropriate cases.
- Immediately grant unrestricted access to Aldi and other massacre sites in Chechnya, such as
Alkhan-Yurt and the Staropromyslovsky district of Grozny, to international human rights and
humanitarian organizations;
- Facilitate prompt visits by the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; U.N. Special
Rapporteur on violence against women; the U.N. Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary
or arbitrary executions; the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture; the Special Representative of the
Secretary General for children and armed conflict; and the Special Representative of the
Secretary General for on internally displaced persons;
- Allow full and unimpeded access for local and foreign journalists and national and international
organizations covering the conflict in Chechnya.
To the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, European Union, United States and other
international actors:
Representatives of various international organizations and governments, including the United
Nations, the European Union, and the United States have repeatedly exhorted the Russian government to
investigate abuses committed in Chechnya and to hold those responsible accountable. Although the
Russian government had not undertaken a credible investigation, on April 25, 2000, the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights failed to call for the creation of an international inquiry into the abuses,
instead calling once again on the Russian government to conduct an investigation. More than one month
later, the Russian government continues to make no meaningful progress on accountability for abuses in
Chechnya. Accordingly, Human Rights Watch once again calls on representatives of the international
community to:
- Establish an international commission of inquiry that would observe, investigate, and report upon
the human rights and humanitarian conditions relating to the military operation in Chechnya, and
that would be authorized to recommend prosecutions in appropriate cases. The commission
would also provide assistance to Russian authorities in the carrying out of investigations.
To the United Nations:
On April 25, 2000 the United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution calling
for the formation of an independent national commission of inquiry to investigate "alleged violations . . .
of international humanitarian law. In the resolution, the UNHRC requested the relevant rapporteurs and
working groups of the commission to undertake missions to the region, and urged the Russian
government to facilitate such missions.
Continue to pursue engagement through the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson should continue her commitment to
working on Chechnya. A deadline should be set for her return visit to the region, to which the
Russian government has committed. The visit, which should be carried out as soon as possible,
should include a visit to Aldi. And the High Commissioner should continue to otherwise engage
the Russian government on its implementation of the April 25 resolution.
Pursue Procedures of U.N. Special Human Rights Mechanisms
- The U.N. Special Rapporteur on violence against women, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture, the
Special Representative of the Secretary General for children and armed conflict, and the Special
Representative of the Secretary General for on internally displaced persons, should vigorously
pursue the visits to the North Caucasus mandated by the April 25 resolution. This initiative
should be joined by the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
To the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe:
Deploy an Expanded OSCE Assistance Group in the Region
On April 11, 1995, the OSCE established the Assistance Group to Chechnya. Its mandate,
explicitly reaffirmed by all OSCE member states, including Russia, at the November 1999 Istanbul
Summit, provides that it will, among other things, "promote respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms," and "facilitate the delivery to the region by international and nongovernmental organizations
of humanitarian aid for victims of the crisis, wherever they may be located." The Assistance Group
enjoys "all possible freedom of movement on the territory of the Chechen Republic and also on the
territory of neighboring subjects of the Russian Federation, if so required for the performance of its
tasks." Since the outbreak of hostilities in Chechnya in September 1999, the Assistance Group has not
redeployed a permanent presence in the north Caucasus and its six-member team is currently based in
Moscow.
- As is foreseen under the existing Assistance Group mandate, the OSCE should immediately
deploy an expanded Assistance Group delegation to Ingushetia: to gather evidence of violations
of human rights and humanitarian law being committed in Chechnya; to report publicly on any
such abuses and make recommendations to the Russian government to curb abuses and hold
those responsible accountable; and to monitor the treatment of displaced persons and advise the
Russian authorities and international agencies with respect to needed humanitarian assistance;
- In accordance with the 1994 Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, Articles
30 and 31, the OSCE must insist on Russia's obligations to investigate abuses committed by
Russian Federation troops in Chechnya, including in Aldi, and prosecute those found responsible.
The OSCE should insist that Russia keeps the Chair-in-Office and the OSCE Permanent Council
informed on progress in this regard; and
- The OSCE Assistance Group should cooperate with any investigation undertaken by the Russian
government, but any monitoring or other activities by the Assistance Group should remain
independent and distinct from the activities of Russian government institutions.
To the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development and Bilateral Donors:
Impose Conditionality on International Loans
- Immediately suspend payment of all pending loan installments payable to the Russian Federation
for unrestricted general budgetary spending, including pending World Bank payments under its
structural adjustment loans. Signal that such payments will not resume until the Russian
Federation takes meaningful steps to limit the civilian toll imposed by its military operation in
Chechnya. Such steps should include serious, transparent, and impartial investigations of abuses
committed and accountability for those responsible, and acceptance of a sustained international
monitoring presence in Chechnya and Ingushetia and full cooperation with its activities;
- Refuse to negotiate any new loans or to renegotiate any existing loans until the above steps are
taken; and
- Establish the July 2000 G8 Summit in Japan as a target date by which point meaningful steps
toward a credible investigation are expected.
To the Council of Europe:
Contribute to an International Presence
- Provide whatever technical assistance would be appropriate to international monitoring or
investigative missions deployed to Ingushetia and Chechnya; and
- Insist on the independence of its staff seconded to the office of the Presidential Representative on
Human Rights in Chechnya, including their freedom of movement and their right of unfettered
communication with the Council of Europe secretariat and with the public.
Commence Legal Actions before the European Court of Human Rights
- Member states of the Council of Europe should file interstate complaints against the Russian
Federation at the European Court of Human Rights for the massacre at Aldi and for other
incidents of gross violations of international humanitarian law.
Instigate a Committee of Ministers Investigation
- As envisioned by its 1994 Declaration, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers should set
in motion a special investigation into Russia's compliance with its Council of Europe
commitments.
To the European Union and the United States:
Insist on Accountability for Violations and Access for International Monitors
Discussing alleged abuses in Chechnya before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights,
Portuguese Foreign Minister, Jaime Gama, speaking on behalf of the European Union, stated that a
"serious and independent investigation must be carried out without delay in order that those responsible
can be brought to account." Addressing the same forum, U.S. Secretary of State Albright called for
"prompt and transparent investigation of all credible charges." To date, the Russian government has
failed to undertake a serious investigation of abuses in Chechnya. It is therefore necessary for the U.S.
and the E.U. to press forward for a two-track process of accountability involving both national and
international inquiries. Specifically, the E.U. and the U.S. should:
- In bilateral and multinational public and private communications with the Russian government,
emphasize that abuses, such as summary executions, rape, pillage, and the deliberate destruction
of civilian property, that have been committed by Russian government forces in Chechnya
amount to war crimes and serious violations of international law.
- Continue to press the Russian Federation to undertake a thorough, transparent investigation of
abuses committed in Chechnya and to hold accountable those responsible, warning that
accountability is a non-negotiable minimum condition for enhanced political, economic, and
security relationships with the Russian Federation;
- Set the July 2000 G8 Summit in Japan as a target date by which the international community
expects meaningful progress by the Russian national commission of inquiry; after this date the
U.S. government and the E.U. must be prepared to engage the Russian government to accept an
international commission of inquiry.
Condition International Financial Assistance on an International Monitoring Presence and
Accountability
- Oppose payment of any pending loan installments payable to the Russian Federation for
unrestricted general budgetary spending, including pending World Bank payments under its
structural adjustment loans. Assert the position that such payments should not resume until the
Russian Federation takes meaningful steps to limit the civilian toll imposed by its military
operation in Chechnya and hold those responsible for abuses accountable. Such steps should
include serious, transparent, and impartial investigations of abuses committed and accountability
for those responsible, acceptance of an international monitoring presence in Ingushetia and
Chechnya and full cooperation with its activities, and meaningful steps to curb looting and the
destruction of civilian property in Chechnya; and
- Oppose any new loans or renegotiation of any existing loans until these same steps are taken.
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