Russian Federation

383. The Special Rapporteur transmitted to the Government one urgent appeal concerning the situation in Chechnya and one allegation of violation of the right to life.

384. The Special Rapporteur issued a press release in December concerning the situation in Chechnya. She expressed her deep concern over the ultimatum by the Russian Federation authorities to the people of Grozny to leave the city by 11 December or face intensified attacks. Noting that Russian aeroplanes had dropped leaflets on Grozny informing civilians of a humanitarian corridor out of the city, the Special Rapporteur said that it was her understanding that earlier attempts to warn civilians in advance of attacks or to establish safe exit routes had not been effective.

Urgent appeals

385. On 7 December the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government regarding the situation of civilians in Grozny. The Special Rapporteur urged the Government to make every effort to ensure that civilians were made aware of safe corridors leading out of Grozny, and also to protect and secure these routes in order to allow civilians to leave safely. In order for people to reach these safe corridors, she urged the Government to cease all attacks on Grozny immediately.

Communications sent

386. According to the information received by the Special Rapporteur, Larisa Yudina, a journalist and editor of the newspaper Sovetskaya Kalmykia, was found dead near the city of Elista with a fractured skull and multiple stab wounds. It was reported that she had been repeatedly warned to stop her critical reporting on the activities of politicians whom she had accused of corruption.

Observations

387. In her last report to the Commission the Special Rapporteur welcomed the decision by the Russian Federation to abolish the death penalty by April 1999, in accordance with the country’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe. The Russian Federation became a member of the Council of Europe on 28 February 1996. The Special Rapporteur was informed on 3 June that, acting on the recommendation of the Chairman of the Presidential Clemency Commission, Anatoly Pristavkin, Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin commuted all 716 death sentences outstanding before the Commission. Following a ruling of the Constitutional Court in February, no further death sentences can be imposed until the constitutional requirement for trial by jury in capital cases can be met in all 89 regions of the Federation. The Special Rapporteur welcomed the decision and urged the Government to totally eliminate the death penalty from the criminal code.