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TITLE: UN's Robinson Denounces Abuses in Chechnya |
AUTHOR: |
PUB: Reuters |
DATE: March 14, 2001 |
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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson called on Tuesday for an end to serious abuses on both sides in the fighting between Russian forces and Chechen rebels in Chechnya. In a report, she urged separatist Chechen rebels to halt kidnapping, hostage-taking and other offenses against civilians and local authorities and for Russian forces to end their killings in the breakaway republic."The High Commissioner urges those responsible to cease such attacks, including kidnapping and hostage taking, and to observe international human rights and humanitarian law."Reports of serious human rights violations carried out by Chechen fighters against federal and local authorities and against civilians continue," she said. Robinson has previously called on Russia to set up an independent inquiry to investigate alleged mass killings and other violations in the breakaway republic. But she said in her report that while Russian authorities had taken some constructive measures, there had been no proper inquiry into the abuses.Robinson's report was submitted to the UN Commission on Human Rights, whose 53 member states open their annual six-week session in Geneva on Monday to examine human rights violations worldwide. END |