What are human rights organizations of the Russian Federation? What are they doing? This article will provide answers to these and other questions.
The concept of a human rights organization
Probably, every Russian citizen has heard of the existence of non-state funds, the purpose of which is to ensure the protection of human rights and freedoms. Organizations of this kind do not make a profit, and all their functions are humanistically directed. In the Russian Federation, human rights organizations are formed, as a rule, by opposition structures. Such funds are aimed at reducing the organized violence that the state can carry out. It is also worth adding the support of political prisoners, the dissemination of information about the freedoms and rights of citizens, legal education, as well as the investigation of specific facts of violations by the authorities.
A large number of organizations under consideration in Russia are either suppressed or completely closed. There are many reasons for this. However, they can be understood by paying attention to the subject of regulation of human rights funds.
Subject of control and tasks
Human rights organizations in Russia have one clearly defined subject of regulation. This is the real state policy in the field of human rights and freedoms. This includes all sorts of decisions, inaction or actions of authorized structures or officials, during which there is a violation of the legal freedoms and rights of one or another citizen. The subject of regulation also includes the illegal deprivation of liberty.
If we talk about the tasks that human rights organizations are called upon to solve, the following is worth highlighting here:
- protection of constitutional human rights and freedoms;
- raising the level of legal culture among citizens, promoting values that could promote respect for a person, his rights;
- analysis of the situation of human rights in different parts of the country;
- comparison of the legal status in Russia with other states.
Application Review
How to solve all the problems that were identified above? Only with the help of the quality implementation of a certain number of functions.
The main and mandatory function of any human rights organization is the timely consideration of applications from legal entities or individuals, as well as from various kinds of associations. The statements indicate specific facts of non-compliance with freedoms and human rights enshrined in the Russian Constitution, international or national legislation. The funds inform the applicant of his legal rights, and also give advice on the possibilities of using legal protection. At the same time, human rights organizations can also act as an intermediary for restoration and conciliation legal procedures.
Subsequent work
After a competent consideration of applications from a person, human rights foundations are required to initiate an investigation into the accused structure. Concrete evidence of violations of the freedoms and rights of people must be collected. After collecting the facts, the process of processing applications is submitted, which are submitted to the competent authorities (courts or prosecutors). If the Russian courts refuse to consider the case, then the application is submitted to international organizations.
Subsequently, human rights foundations express public censure or otherwise disseminate information about the incompetence of a particular body. Notes are made in the media, facts of violations are laid out for general review.
It is also worth noting that human rights organizations for human rights can participate in trials and on the side of the defense. We are talking about those cases when a person, in the opinion of the funds, is exposed to unlawful responsibility (criminal or administrative).
Information materials
The duties of human rights organizations include the collection, execution and dissemination of various kinds of information materials. Such materials include:
- domestic legislation of the Russian Federation (as well as certain norms of international law), comments on legislation, relevant court decisions and their interpretation;
- domestic and international mechanisms aimed at protecting freedoms and human rights;
- information about the human rights organization itself.
In addition, non-governmental human rights organizations are engaged in educational and educational activities. To do this, they produce all kinds of brochures, audio and video recordings, films, teaching materials, curricula, etc. Separately, it is worth highlighting the holding of special seminars, lectures and competitions for the young generation.
The first group of Russian funds
Now it’s worth telling about what public human rights organizations exist today in Russia. Next, a brief description of the most famous and large organizations existing in the Russian Federation will be given.
Foundation "In Defense of the Rights of Prisoners". It's no secret to anyone how terrifying are the conditions of prison in today's Russia. Endless media reports of torture, forced interrogation or self-incrimination only exacerbate the situation. The presented fund is a fairly well-known organization whose goal is to fight for the legal rights of persons serving sentences in places of imprisonment.
Foundation for Human Rights. Established back in 1997, the organization represented has become the largest in the field of protecting the rights and freedoms of people. The motto of the foundation is "Law. Justice. Compassion."
The second group of Russian funds
The Committee Against Torture was a rather famous organization on the territory of the Russian Federation. The foundation struggled with ill-treatment of citizens by public services. The Committee provided financial, medical and legal assistance to victims of torture. In 2015, the fund self-destructed due to pressure from the authorities, but in 2016 continued to work under a different name.
The Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia is also a human rights foundation. Formed during the time of the Afghan war, the organization became the largest association of women whose sons died or suffered during military service.
The Glasnost Defense Fund is a well-known organization promoting freedom of speech in Russia. The organization advocates the democratization of the information sphere, the lack of censorship and the development of non-governmental channels.
International human rights organizations
Probably the most famous and largest international organization is the Memorial community. This is a large-scale scientific and cultural movement dedicated to preserving the memory of political repression. The presented fund operates in a large number of European countries. In Russia, the stigma of a foreign agent was imposed on the organization.
What other international human rights organizations are worth highlighting? One can not fail to mention, probably, the most famous and ancient fund, uniting many countries: Amnesty International (Amnesty International). The main goal of this fund remains to conduct a number of studies and actions aimed at preventing and ending violations of human rights and freedoms throughout the world. The organization distributes information on freedom of conscience, integrity, freedom of expression, etc.