Russia: Treatment of members of the Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia (UCSMR) by the authorities (1998-April 2002)

According to the US-based organization called Women Waging Peace, "a multiyear collaborative venture of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, [which] connects women addressing conflicts worldwide" (Women Waging Peace n.d.a), the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia became the Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia (UCSMR) in 1998 (ibid. n.d.b).

Following are reports of activities of the UCSMR carried out with various degrees of state involvement.

According to Women Waging Peace, the UCSMR assists the Central Medical Laboratory of the Ministry of Defence based in Rostov on the Don [southern Russia] in identifying war casualties and contributes to the development of amendments to military laws by the parliament (ibid.).

Country Reports 2001 makes reference to continuing cooperation efforts between the Main Military Procurator's Office (MMPO) and the Union of Soldiers' Mothers Committee which include investigations into allegations of abuse made by soldiers, and telephone and postal "hot lines" open to soldiers (4 Mar. 2002).

The Russian non-governmental news agency Interfax indicates that Mariya Fedulova, a representative from the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, sits on the presidential commission for war prisoners (11 Jan. 2002).

AFP reports that several representatives from the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers are members of [translation] "a government commission in charge of handling disputes between young conscripts and conscription authorities" (30 Mar. 2001).

On 18 January 2001, the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers and officials of the General Staff, including General Viktor Kozhushko who supervises military draft, held a joint press conference in Moscow about difficulties encountered by the Russian military conscription authorities (RFE/RL 19 Jan. 2001).

An amnesty for army deserters adopted by the parliament on 19 June 1998 reportedly replaced a "partial amnesty" which the Military Prosecutor's Office implemented jointly with the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers (RFE/RL 29 June 1998).

During a two-day working visit to Stavropol territory [southern Russia], Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev held several meetings with local officials and with representatives from the territorial Committee of Soldiers' Mothers (ITAR-TASS 17 Mar. 1998).

According to Edict No. 1366 signed by President Yeltsin on 22 December 1997, D. Melnikova, the chair of the board of the Moscow Human Rights Research Center and co-chair of the Coordinating Council of the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, became a member of the Russian Federation President's Human Rights Commission (Rossiyskaya Gazeta 30 Dec. 1997).

A report published in the June 2000 issue of The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, a quarterly from the Washingon-based International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) "whose mission is to facilitate and support the development of civil society and the freedom of association on a global basis" (ICNL n.d.), indicated that the authorities had not processed the UCSMR's application for re-registration which it had filed in December 1998 as required by the 1995 Federal Law "On Public Associations." Referring to other non-governmental organizations in the same situation, the source added that no specific reasons had been provided for this delay (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Paris]. 30 March 2001. "Les Mères de soldats doutent que Poutine veuille démilitariser le pouvoir." ([email protected])

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 4 March 2002. "Russia." Washington, DC: US Department of State. [Accessed 5 Apr. 2002]

Interfax [Moscow, in English]. 11 January 2002. "Russian Soldiers' Mothers Want Full Publication of Chechnya Casualties." (FBIS-SOV-2002-0111 11 Jan. 2002/WNC)

International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) [Washington, DC]. n.d. "Overview." [Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law [Washington, DC]. June 2000. Volume 2, Issue 4. "Report on the Violations Committed in the Course of Registration and Re-Registration of Public Associations in the Russian Federation in 1999." Released on 15 February 2000 by the Information Center of the Human Rights Movement and the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights in December 1999-January 2000. [Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

ITAR-TASS [Moscow, in Russian]. 17 March 1998. Nikolay Styazhkin. "Russia: Defense Minister Concludes Visit to Stavropol." (FBIS-SOV-98-076 17 Mar. 1998/WNC).

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) [Prague]. Newsline. 19 January 2001. "Russia Faces Difficulties in Filling Military Draft."

[Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

_____. 29 June 1998. "Duma's Amnesty For Deserters Takes Effect."

[Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

Rossiyskaya Gazeta [Moscow, in Russian]. 30 December 1997. "Russia: Yeltsin Edict Alters Composition of Human Rights Body." (FBIS-SOV-98-001 1 Jan. 1998/WNC)

Women Waging Peace [Cambridge, Ma.]. n.d.a. "Who We Are."

[Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

_____. n.d.b. "Members in Conflict Areas. Russia. Union of the Committee of the Soldiers' Mothers of Russia." [Accessed 4 Apr. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Freedom House

Human Rights Watch

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Prima News [Moscow]

The Russia Journal [Moscow]

UK Home Office, Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), Country Assessment: Russia.