Press Releases
Photo Gallery
Print This

Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Chairman
Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman
For Immediate Release
www.csce.gov
December 5, 2014

HELSINKI COMMISSION CHAIRMAN URGES RUSSIA TO CEASE BLATANT VIOLATIONS OF OSCE PRINCIPLES

Calls on Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan to Free Political Prisoners


WASHINGTON—On the conclusion of the December 4-5 OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel, Switzerland, U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Ben Cardin (MD) issued the following statement:

“The OSCE Ministerial this year has been exceptional. I welcome the fact that an overwhelming majority of OSCE countries condemned the unlawful occupation of Crimea, defended the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and called for Russia to end its support for violence in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s illegal activities in Ukraine have violated the most fundamental principles of the Helsinki Final Act, on which the OSCE is based.

“Moving forward, the OSCE must focus on the implementation of its core commitments. The OSCE PA has spoken to this issue by passing a resolution I introduced in July, calling on Russia to cease its clear, gross, and uncorrected violations of Helsinki principles, not only in Ukraine but regarding other neighbors and at home as well.

“Other serious human rights concerns in the OSCE region were spotlighted by the absence of some leading figures from this year’s Ministerial meeting.

“While Turkmenistan’s current ambassador to the OSCE addressed his counterparts in Basel, the fate of his predecessor, Batyr Berdiev – as well as some 100 other prisoners – remains unknown. I welcome the Swiss Chairmanship’s efforts to address the issues of torture and enforced disappearances during their chairmanship and call on Turkmenistan to tell the families of Ambassador Berdiev and the other disappeared persons what has happened to their loved ones.

“In addition, Rasul Jafarov was prevented from leading a civil society discussion on freedom of expression in Basel. Jafarov remains imprisoned in Azerbaijan in retaliation for his activism. Eldeniz Hajiyev, another human rights activist, was unable to travel to Basel because she is under house arrest in Baku. I commend the 43 OSCE countries which worked to advance an OSCE decision on freedom of expression and urge Azerbaijan to cease its flagrant persecution of independent civil society activists.”

Media Contact: Stacy Hope
202.225.1901
# # #

Countries

Azerbaijan
Russian Federation
Turkmenistan
Ukraine

Issues

OSCE Institutions/Structures/Meetings


   
 

Recent Press Releases

December 2014

November 2014

October 2014

Click here for the previous year's Press Releases




Print This

CSCE :: Image Galleries
Please select an image gallery:
02/07/08 Anti-Semitism Hearing (Part 2) 1 Images
04/10/08 Iraqi Refugee Crisis 1 Images
Featured Photos 9 Images

Label for Featured Photo
Featured Photo
Senator Cardin answering questions after the Iraqi Refugee Crisis hearing