Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-17-Speech-4-184"
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"en.20000217.8.4-184"2
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"Mr President, we are currently witnessing a disturbing development in Russia which the Chechen war was the catalyst for. We have repeatedly pointed out in this House that the Chechen war was a particularly bloody form of election campaign and seizure of power for Mr Putin. When one considers what Mr Putin has done in the few weeks since his velvet putsch on New Year’s day in Russia, then one will see that not only did he step up the genocidal activities in Chechnya, he also initiated changes in Russian domestic policy that cause one to fear the worst. The Babitsky case illustrates perfectly how press freedom is under serious threat in Russia – which is, after all, a Member of the Council of Europe, indeed its largest Member, and which has joined forces with the European Union in a partnership agreement.
Mr Putin said himself that Mr Babitsky was taken into custody by the Russian secret service on his orders. He said himself that he made the case a matter for decision at the highest level. He maintained that he has the case in hand. Then we hear that he has allegedly handed this case, which was supposedly a matter for decision at the highest level, a Russian citizen that is, over to people that he has declared to be dangerous terrorists. What kind of state hands its own citizens over to people it deems to be dangerous terrorists? Then after the initial confusion the Chechens issued a clear denial. Russian civil rights campaigners and the Russian democratic forces who stand in opposition are making it quite clear that Mr Babitsky is obviously still in the custody of the FSB. There is a great deal still to be explained about this case.
This House must urge the Russian Government in no uncertain terms, firstly to launch an immediate inquiry into what has happened to Mr Babitsky and secondly to intervene in order to secure his release and ensure that press freedom and the rule of law are not compromised still further."@en1
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