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Situation with Human Rights Isn’t Satisfactory in Russia, Human Rights Commissioner Said
The situation with human rights in Russia wasn’t satisfactory in 2006, the RF Human Rights Commissioner Vladimir Lukin made clear in his report, the Gazeta edition announced.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will get the 400-page report of Lukin in late March and the State Duma will receive it in the next move. According to ombudsman, the main misfortune is the wide gap between the poor and the rich in the country. Many Russians don’t understand why the effect of huge oil and gas resources is so negligible when it comes to their wealth. For authorities, the alarming signal is general distrust of the nation to the government and strengthening of radical nationalism and xenophobia in the society.
Another concern of Lukin is violations of freedom of worship. It mostly relates to the failure to return property seized in Soviet time and the poor treatment of clergy of different confessions. Moreover, the access to the free education stipulated in the constitution is narrowing. So Lukin suggested imposing unified education tax on the individuals and spelling out in the Education Act the categories of citizens, who may enjoy benefits to enter universities.
Regardless, the general sentiment of Lukin’s report is rather optimistic. “Execution of a number of vital national projects was set into motion” past year, Lukin wrote, emphasizing that this progress holds out hope that some traditionally painful knots of Russia could be loosened in foreseeable future. Other achievements are tuning up activities of the trial by jury, certain improvement for gastarbeiters and in the treatment in isolation wards and other detention facilities.
Lukin wrote the number of complaints lodged in his office went up past year; the general issues were protection of civil and social rights of the citizens and activities of judicial bodies. In the end of report, Russia’s right commissioner hoped for closer cooperation with federal authorities.
www.kommersant.com
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