Human rights violations and restrictions on civil rights should not be rewarded! Putin is playing a "double game"!

According to the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), Angela Merkel's offer to establish new economic relations with Russia if there is a solution for peace in Ukraine is a "wrong signal at the wrong time". As Sarah Reinke – the human rights organization's expert on questions concerning the CIS-states – stated in Berlin on Friday, the Russian President should not be rewarded for playing a "double game". Vladimir Putin is not keeping to the rules – as can be seen from the illegal annexation of Crimea, from the non-compliance with the Minsk Agreement as well as from the restrictions of civil rights in Russia itself.

"The fighting in Ukraine continues, despite the Minsk Agreement of September and despite the suffering of the civilian population," Reinke accused the Russian government. "There is not much discussion about the annexation of Crimea – although the people living there are harassed systematically." As an example, Reinke mentioned the arbitrary justice against Crimean Tatars. Recently, a fifth civil rights activist was sentenced to prison just because he had wanted to meet Mustafa Dzhemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatars, in Crimea on May 3. The judge's decision was published on January 21. Also, the travel ban against Dzhemilev is still in effect. During the night of Thursday to Friday, three Crimean Tatar human rights activists were detained and questioned for seven hours near the border between Crimea and Ukraine. Up to 10,000 of the 300,000 Crimean Tatars have already fled from Crimea since the annexation – and there are several unsolved murders and disappearances of young men.

At the same time, the Russian government is using the war in Ukraine as an excuse to take further measures to control the Russian civil society and to reduce or criminalize any influence from the outside, criticizes the STP. The Duma is currently discussing a new law according to which representatives and employees of "unwanted foreign organizations" could be fined with of up to 100,000 rubles (approximately four months' wages of an average Russian income) or could even face criminal charges of up to 500,000 rubles, five years of forced labor or eight years in prison. Foreigners could be denied entry into Russia. "If the Duma agrees to pass this law in an accelerated procedure, it might come into effect as early by the end of January. Thus, the Russian government is working against international understanding, dialogue, and against free business contacts and mutual trust – which will lead to even more isolation."

Sarah Reinke - head of the Berlin office and STP's expert on Eastern Europe - is available for further questions: Tel. 030 428 048 91 or berlin@gfbv.de.

Header Photo:  Republic of Korea/Flickr