Putin's Human Rights Record Focus of Helsinki Commission Hearing; Putin's Path a Prelude to U.S.-hosted G8 Summit

5/13/2004

From: Ben Anderson or Dorothy Douglas Taft, 202-225-1901, both of the Helsinki Commission

News Advisory:

The United States Helsinki Commission will hold a hearing to examine Russia's progress toward respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin. The hearing is timed in advance of Putin's scheduled visit to the United States to attend the G8 Summit set for June 8-10 in Sea Island, Georgia.

WHAT: "Human Rights in Putin's Russia"

WHEN: Thursday, May 20, 2 p.m. 4 p.m.

WHERE: 334 Cannon House Office Building

Testifying before the Commission:

-- Ambassador Steven Pifer, deputy assistant secretary of state, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs

-- Garry Kasparov, world chess champion and chairman, Committee 2008: Free Choice

-- Dr. Edward Lozansky, president, American University in Moscow and Russia House

-- Rev. Igor Nikitin, chairman, Association of Christian Churches in Russia

-- Nicholai Butkevich, research and advocacy director, Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union

Since President Putin assumed office in 2000, human rights activists have charged that civil liberties and democratic development in Russia have been sacrificed to a "managed democracy" under the influence of both active and former officials of the security services.

Putin's tenure in office has been characterized by the demise of independent national broadcast media, election manipulations and a "spy mania" that has led to espionage charges against several Russian scientists and environment activists. Nevertheless, Putin has rejected parliamentary initiatives that would have further restricted freedom of the press and assembly.

The recent assassination of pro-Moscow Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov demonstrates the fragility of Moscow's "normalization" policy in that brutalized secessionist region of Russia.

An un-official transcript will be available on the Helsinki Commission's web site at http://www.csce.gov within 24 hours of the hearing.

The United States Helsinki Commission, an independent federal agency, by law monitors and encourages progress in implementing provisions of the Helsinki Accords. The Commission, created in 1976, is composed of nine Senators, nine Representatives and one official each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.