Chechnya School

On the other hand, authorities continued to put pressure on the NGO, School for Peace, because of its activities in support of Meskhetians in the Krasnodar region (see Section 2.d.). On July 14, in a meeting with the head of School for Peace, a Krasnodar representative of the Ministry of Justice stated that the organization would be disbanded because it had listed only one founder rather than the statutorily required three. In the course of the conversation, the Ministry official strongly criticized School for Peace for its activities on behalf of Meskhetians and the director's contacts with foreigners. In December, a district court in Krasnodar ruled that the School for Peace should be disbanded; the NGO was appealing the decision at year's end. Most of the NGO's work was being carried out through a sister organization, the Novorossiysk Committee for Human Rights. ... [Read More]

2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Russia

The Federal Government backed away from previous plans to promote a compulsory nationwide course in schools on the "Foundations of Orthodox Culture," using a textbook by that title which detailed Orthodox Christianity's contribution to the country's culture. Although schools in over 20 regions still used the book, the Ministry of Education rejected funding for another edition and further circulation of the textbook. Many religious minorities had complained about negative language describing non Orthodox groups, particularly Jews. In September, Education Minister Andrey Fursenko announced plans for a new school course, taught by laypersons, entitled "History of Religion," which would teach the history of all religions, not only Orthodoxy. The authorities had not yet introduced the course nationwide or selected a textbook for it. However, Moscow city schools have introduced a course similar to the one that the Education Minister proposed. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: White House Report, September 2: Russia, Greece

According to press reports, as many as 350 people, including schoolchildren, were taken hostage September 1 at a school in the North Caucasus town of Beslan by armed attackers demanding the release of fighters captured by Russian authorities in Ingushetia. They have threatened to kill the hostages or blow up the school building if Russian forces attempt to storm the premises. ...

President Bush telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin September 1 and said the United States stands ready to provide assistance in resolving the hostage situation at a Russian school near Chechnya. ... [Read More]

Russia

Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their GovernmentThe Constitution provides citizens with the right to change their Government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, generally free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. The Constitution establishes four branches of Government: The Presidency; the Federal Assembly made up of two houses (the State Duma and Federation Council); the Government and Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister; and the Judiciary. The Constitution gives predominance to the Presidency, and the President utilized his many powers to set national priorities and establish individual policies. After President Yeltsin's December 1999 resignation, Vladimir Putin assumed the post of acting President. In a March 2000 election, Putin was elected President. While some ... [Read More]

Russia

During the summer, city authorities in Kazan, Tatarstan, sought to prevent the immediate repair and continued use of a Jewish school building that had been damaged by fire. On July 13, a fire, which some Jewish leaders suspected to be the result of arson, damaged the roof and upper floor of the school. On July 18, municipal authorities issued a decree closing the school for the upcoming academic year and transferred the students to another school. Offers by parents and others in the Jewish community to repair the school at their own expense initially were rejected by the city authorities, who ostensibly were concerned that the building had suffered structural damage; however, the officials openly voiced their discomfort with the location of a Jewish school in an historically Tatar neighborhood. On August 21, the Vakhitovskiy regional court found that the authorities had acted improperly in decreeing the transfer of the Jewish students. The city authorities did not prevent parents from ... [Read More]

2001

1111--05/01/01   NIS High School Exchange ... [Read More]

Russia Public Announcement

This Public Announcement is being updated to remind American citizens traveling or living in Russia that there remains a heightened potential for terrorist actions, including attacks against civilians.  This situation is likely to continue for some time.  This supersedes the public announcement of October 27, 2004 and expires on September 30, 2005. Acts of terrorism including bombings and hostage taking have occurred in Russia over the last several years.  Bombings have ... [Read More]

Russia

The educational system includes both private and public institutions.  Children have the right to free education until the 11th grade (approximately 17 years old).  Students are obligated to stay in school until the 9th grade.  Boys and girls are treated equally in the school system.  Health care for children is legally free, although the quality varies and individuals incur significant out of pocket expenses. ...

Incidents of societal violence apparently based on religious belief decreased this year.  Nevertheless, some serious incidents were recorded.  On August 20, a group of extremists in Volgograd accosted a group of Mormons, beat four Russian members and threatened foreign missionaries.  The same day, the same group similarly attacked Jehovah's Witnesses in Volgograd, beating a minister with a "Cossack" whip.  Members of the victimized groups have accused the authorities of being slow to investigate these incidents and make arrests.  To date there has been no prosecution in the Volgograd incidents despite the fact that the identity of at least one of the accused perpetrators is known to authorities.  On September 17, a group of extremists burst into a school in Ryazan where Jewish classes were being held and smashed windows, furniture, and an art exhibit made by the children, shouting death threats at the teachers present.  Subsequent to the attack, the e ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, January 13, 2000

I have several announcements and one statement. Secretary Albright will deliver the annual Rostov Lecture on International Affairs at the Johns Hopkins Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies on January 18th at 10:00 a.m. It is at 1740 Massachusetts Avenue. We will have more details for those of you who might be interested in covering that. We have a statement on the forum on biotechnology that we are holding a conference on. There is also a statement on the $100 million for refugees that we are going to make available to the UNHCR, and on visa processing in Ho Chi Minh City. ... [Read More]