[prisoner-rights] Special Rapporteur on Torture regrets postponement of visit to Russian Federation

UNITED NATIONS Press release
4 October 2006

Manfred Nowak, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment issued the following statement today:

As the Special Rapporteur announced on 6 July 2006 and reiterated in his
statement to the Human Rights Council on 20 September 2006, he was invited
by the Government of the Russian Federation to carry out a fact-finding
visit from 9 to 20 October 2006, with a particular focus on the North
Caucasus Republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and
Kabardino-Balkaria.

However, at a very late stage in the preparations, he was informed by the
Government that certain elements of his Terms of Reference for carrying
out visits to detention facilities would contravene Russian Federation
law, particularly with respect to carrying out unannounced visits, and
holding private interviews with detainees. Since these issues could not be
resolved prior to the visit, he regrets to announce that he is not in a
position to proceed as planned.

The Special Rapporteur has been assured by the Government of the Russian
Federation that a mutually agreeable solution will be arrived at to ensure
that this important mission is carried out in the near future.

Mr. Nowak was appointed Special Rapporteur on 1 December 2004 by the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights. As Special Rapporteur, he is
independent from any government and serves in his individual capacity. The
Commission first decided to appoint a special rapporteur to examine
questions relevant to torture in 1985. The mandate, since assumed under
the UN Human Rights Council, covers all countries, whether or not they
have ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Mr. Nowak has previously served as member of the Working Group on Enforced
and Involuntary Disappearances; the UN expert on missing persons in the
former Yugoslavia; the UN expert on legal questions on enforced
disappearances; and as a judge at the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and
Herzegovina. He is Professor of Constitutional Law and Human Rights at the
University of Vienna, and Director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of
Human Rights.

For further information on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, please
visit the website:
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/torture/rapporteur/index.htm