Written question asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Triesman (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 June 2007.

Russia: Human Rights

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Russian Federation's laws and practices are compatible with its obligations as a member of the Council of Europe as regards respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

Answer: We have been clear in our private discussions with the Russian Government and in our public statements that we have concerns about the situation of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Russia. We are committed to continued engagement with Russia on these issues, including through the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe has played an important role in the promotion of human rights, rule of law and democracy in Russia and, importantly, gives Russian citizens access to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The Council of Europe's monitoring mechanisms have regularly reported on the level of Russia's compliance with Council of Europe commitments. We continue to urge Russia to make progress in implementing the recommendations of these bodies. Russia is also subject to the scrutiny of the Committee of Ministers in which we play an active role. Furthermore, judgments of the ECHR in certain cases brought by Russian citizens against the Russian Federation have highlighted areas where the level of protection of human rights in Russia is inconsistent with its Council of Europe obligations. The Committee of Ministers supervises the execution of these judgments.

Secondary information