Russia
Greens condemn murder of opposition figure Maksharip Aushev
Commenting on the murder of opposition activist Maksharip Aushev from Russia's Ingushetia region, Rebecca Harms and Dany Cohn-Bendit, Co-presidents of the Greens/EFA group and Heidi Hautala, President of the Sub-Committee for Human Rights in the European Parliament, said:
"The Greens/EFA Group expresses its deepest concern about the killing of the opposition activist Maksharip Aushev from Russia's Ingushetia region. Mr Aushev had led protests in this region to publicise human rights abuses allegedly committed by government security forces.
The killing of Maksharip Aushev is the latest in an increasing number of attacks against human rights defenders and political opponents over the past few months in the North Caucasus.
The Greens/EFA Group expresses its firm condemnation of the attacks on human rights defenders and political opponents in Russia and urges the Russian Authorities to guarantee that an investigation into this murder be conducted promptly, thoroughly and transparently and that the perpetrators be brought to justice.
The Greens/EFA Group points out once more that democracy and human rights must be at the core of the new comprehensive partnership and cooperation agreement with the Russian Federation and calls on the EU Member States to raise the protection of human rights defenders and political opponents and the fight against impunity at the EU-Russia Summit on 17-18 November 2009."
