WASHINGTON - Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman and Co-Chairman, respectively, of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) wrote Romanian President Traian Basescu today regarding the passage of a new religion law. The Law on Religious Freedom and Status of Religious Denominations passed the Romanian House of Deputies on Wednesday and is now before President Basescu for signature. Concerned by the “serious shortcomings” in the legislation, the letter signed by both Senator Brownback and Rep. Smith “respectfully urges” President Basescu to “return the draft law to the parliament for revision.” “If the Law on Religious Freedom and Status of Religious Denominations were to pass in its current form, it would give Romania the dubious distinction of having the most burdensome religious registration system in the entire 56-nation OSCE region,” concluded Senator Brownback and Rep. Smith in their letter. In addition, the letter conveys the Commissioners belief that the law is incompatible with Romania’s OSCE religious freedom commitments. The bill passed the Romanian Senate passively in December 2005, without modification, despite more than 60 substantive amendments that were never considered. Once before the House of Deputies, the Judicial Committee and the Human Rights Committee reviewed the bill for almost a year but made no improvements, despite repeated intervention during the drafting stage by Helsinki Commission members and international organizations. The full House of Deputies approved the bill without substantive amendments on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON - Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), announce the convening of a Commission briefing entitled “Democracy in Tajikistan: Preview of the Presidential Election” on Thursday, October 26, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. in room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Tajikistan was the only former Soviet state to experience a protracted civil war after the fall of communism.  Despite significant poverty, the country has made notable gains since the peace agreement signed almost 10 years ago.  The accord created a power-sharing agreement among the warring parties, including the only legal Islamic party in Central Asia.  The upcoming presidential election, scheduled for November 6, will demonstrate prospects for systemic democratization in Tajikistan. President Imomali Rakhmonov, who is running for reelection, has been in power since 1994.  If he wins, constitutional amendments passed last year allow him to remain in office until 2020. Recent decrees by the Tajik Central Commission on Elections and Referenda addressed some election system deficiencies, but questions remain about the follow through necessary to ensure a free and fair election. The government has provided opposition parties free time on state television, but also limited the ability of independent media outlets to operate freely. While there are multiple candidates, the major opposition leaders have experienced significant harassment from authorities and most have decided not to run. The following panelists will address these and other related issues: H.E. Khamrokhon Zaripov, Ambassador, Republic of Tajikistan Dr. Eric M. McGlinchey, Assistant Professor of Government and Politics, George Mason University Dr. Dennis de Tray, Vice President, Center for Global Development Anthony C. Bowyer, Program Manager for Central Asia, IFES

WASHINGTON - Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman and Co-Chairman, respectively, of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, announced that the Commission will hold a hearing on “Protecting Children: The Battle Against Child Pornography and Other Forms of Sexual Exploitation” on September 27, 2006, at 2:00 pm. The hearing will be held in room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing will examine U.S. Government efforts to protect children from commercial sexual exploitation, as well as discuss international initiatives by Helsinki Commissioners to combat child pornography and trafficking. Key findings from a recent review of U.S. Government programs designed to combat child sex tourism, child prostitution, child pornography and sex-trafficking of children will first be released at the hearing. Panelists will highlight the shifting trends of child commercial sexual exploitation, including the changing role of technology in these crimes. The testimony is also expected to include a discussion of demand, the proliferation of child pornography, cooperation between civil society and law enforcement, development of legislation, and resources needed to combat these forms of child abuse and exploitation. Helsinki Commission members will discuss U.S. and international initiatives to combat child pornography and child trafficking in the region covered by the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation Europe (OSCE). A recent survey by the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children revealed that many OSCE countries have significant gaps in their existing legal framework that hamper the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies to combat the pornography networks operating across borders, principally via the Internet. The results from the Mid-Term Review of the United States on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) will be made public. The Review organized by Shared Hope International, ECPAT-USA and The Protection Project at The Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) assessed efforts by government and civil society taken to combat commercial sexual exploitation of children. In 2007, the Mid-Term Review will be presented at the United Nation’s 3rd World Congress on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.    Witnesses: Panel One:  James Plitt, Unit Chief, Cyber Crimes Center, Immigration and Customs Enforcement James E. Finch, Assistant Director, Cyber Division, Federal Bureau of Immigration Panel Two:  Linda Smith, Founder and Executive Director, Shared Hope International  Carol Smolenski, Executive Director, ECPAT-USA Mohamed Mattar, Executive Director, The Protection Project, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies Ernie Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, International Center for Missing and Exploited Children

WASHINGTON - Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) expressed their sadness today at the death of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Ogulsapar Muradova. Ms. Muradova died while in a Turkmen prison.  “The death of Ms. Muradova is tragic,” said Senator Brownback, “and we mourn her passing.  Ms. Muradova was a brave journalist who dared to expose government abuses even while living in one of the most oppressive countries.  The charges for which she was recently sentenced to six years in prison were highly suspect, and we call on the Government of Turkmenistan to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation of her death.” “I am extremely saddened by the death of Ogulsapar Muradova and extend my condolences to her family,” said Rep. Smith.  “Aware of the brutal nature of the regime, I raised with Turkmen officials my deep concern about her imprisonment and the risk of torture.  We denounce the continued detention of her colleagues, Amankurban Amanklychev and Sapardurdy Khajiev, and urge the Turkmen authorities to release them immediately.”  Between June 16-18, 2006, Muradova, along with Amanklychev and Khajiev, were detained by Turkmen security forces.  Turkmen authorities reportedly arrested them because of their connection to a documentary about President Saparmurat Niyazov’s cult of personality and their use of hidden video equipment in making this film.  On August 25, Muradova was sentenced to six years in prison for “illegal possession of weapons” in a closed trial that fell far short of international standards.  On that same day, Amanklychev and Khajiev were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment on identical charges.  Ogulsapar Muradova was affiliated with the Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation, a non-governmental organization that monitors human rights in Turkmenistan. In addition, Ms. Muradova has served as a journalist for Radio Liberty, a private communications service funded by the Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

WASHINGTON - Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) welcomed the decision by Russian authorities to suspend the extradition to Uzbekistan of 13 Central Asian refugees who have been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Senator Brownback and Representative Smith recently urged both the Russian courts and the Office of the Procurator General to prevent the extradition of these refugees, 12 of whom are Uzbek nationals and one of whom is a national of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. “I welcome Russia’s decision not to return these individuals to Uzbekistan, a country widely recognized for its egregious violations of basic rights.  Perhaps this is a hopeful sign that Moscow takes its international obligations seriously and will lead by example in this and other cases involving human rights,” said Chairman Brownback. “The forcible return of refugees to Uzbekistan, an egregious human rights abuser, would be unacceptable,” said Co-Chairman Smith. “I hope the Russian Government, currently chair of the Council of Europe, will stick by this decision to halt extradition and work with the UN to resettle these individuals.” According to the U.S. State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005, Uzbekistan’s security services “routinely tortured, beat, and otherwise mistreated detainees to obtain confessions or incriminating information.”  A 2003 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture stated that the practice of torture in Uzbekistan is “systematic.” Under the nonrefoulement obligation of the UN Refugee Convention, to which Russia is a signatory, Contracting States must not forcibly return individuals to situations where their life and freedom would be threatened. Russia is also a signatory state to the 1984 Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Article 3 of which prohibits the extradition of individuals to destinations where they are likely to be tortured.

Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) expressed outrage about the forced return of Uzbek refugees by the Kyrgyz Government. Four refugees and one asylum seeker were deported on Wednesday to Uzbekistan, from which they had fled. “I am profoundly disappointed that Kyrgyzstan has forcibly returned these five individuals,” said Senator Brownback. “Kyrgyzstan did allow the UN to resettle to third countries the majority of refugees fleeing the Andijon shootings. I do not understand this change in policy, which certainly damages Kyrgyzstan’s international reputation. The consequences of this decision may be life threatening for the refugees.” “I urge President Bakiev to ensure this grave mistake is not repeated with other Uzbeks seeking shelter in Kyrgyzstan from the repressive Karimov regime,” added Senator Brownback. “I also urge President Karimov to allow the international community access to the returnees.” Four individuals were recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which had reportedly found third countries to accept their resettlement. Despite repeated UNHCR requests to Kyrgyz officials to allow the transfer, Kyrgyz authorities deported all five individuals to Uzbekistan on Wednesday. UNHCR had not been granted sufficient access to the fifth individual to determine whether he qualified as a refugee. “The forcible return of refugees to Uzbekistan, an egregious human rights abuser, is unconscionable and outrageous,” said Rep. Smith. “I had hoped the United States had found a reliable partner in President Bakiev, but apparently he’s more interested in pleasing Tashkent by offering up these poor souls for likely mistreatment than in upholding international commitments.” “Considering this and the recent expulsion of two American diplomats on specious grounds, we should take a long and hard look at the policies coming out of Bishkek and how they will affect the bilateral relationship,” said Rep. Smith. The four Uzbeks were being detained in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh for over one year due to an Uzbek extradition request. They were part of a larger group of over 400 refugees that crossed into Kyrgyzstan fleeing the shootings by Uzbek security forces in May 2005 in the Uzbek city of Andijon. UNHCR recognized the entire group as refugees under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Kyrgyzstan is a signatory. The group was transferred to Romania last year for resettlement processing. Under the nonrefoulement obligation of the UN Refugee Convention, Contracting States must not forcibly return individuals to situations where their life and freedom would be threatened. In addition, Kyrgyzstan is obligated by the UN Convention Against Torture to not return individuals if there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of being subjected to torture.

WASHINGTON - Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Chairman and Co-Chairman, respectively, of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, announced that the Commission will hold a briefing entitled, “Uzbekistan: Are There Prospects for Change?” on Tuesday, July 25, 2006, at 4:00 PM in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Testifying before the Commission are Mr. Abdurahim Polat, Chairman of the Birlik Party; Mr. Muhammad Salih, Chairman of the Erk Party; Mr. Gulam Umarov, son of Sanjar Umarov, the imprisoned Chairman of the Sunshine Coalition; and Dr. Martha Brill Olcott, Senior Associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Uzbekistan, under the rule of President Islam Karimov, has been a repressive, authoritarian state that bans opposition and maintains Soviet-style censorship.  Since the bloody events in Andijon in May 2005, however, repression has intensified, with a country-wide crackdown on human rights activists, religious groups and members of opposition groups.  Many Western NGOs that promote democracy have been forced to leave the country.  At the same time, Tashkent has turned towards Moscow, accusing the United States of trying to orchestrate a revolution in Uzbekistan. To present an alternative perspective, three opposition spokesmen, as well as an American expert on Central Asia will present testimony on prospects for democratization in Uzbekistan, particularly in light of the upcoming presidential election in that country.

Washington- Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), and Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), will hold a briefing on the medical evidence of torture of detainees by U.S. personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay on Thursday, July 24 at 2:00 p.m. in room 311 of the Cannon House Office Building. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) will present its recently released report entitled, “Broken Laws, Broken Lives,” which documents torture by U.S. personnel and its impact. PHR mobilizes health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, public health specialists, and scientists to investigate human rights abuses worldwide. PANELISTS Leonard Rubenstein, J.D., President, Physicians for Human Rights Allen Keller, M.D., Advisor to Physicians for Human Rights and Director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture

WASHINGTON -  Despite extensive consultations with Romanian officials and parliamentarians, Helsinki Commission members are increasingly concerned about the draft Law on Religious Freedom and Status of Religious Denominations currently before Romania’s Chamber of Deputies.  “Romania has made considerable advancements since the Ceausescu period concerning respect for religious freedom.  This draft law could undermine that progress,” said Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). “I am particularly alarmed by reports of amendments that would limit religious-based speech for believers in Romania.  The draft legislation should be withdrawn or significantly amended to comply with OSCE commitments.”   The draft law is currently before the Judicial Committee and the Human Rights Committee of the lower house of parliament. Reports indicate that these committees recently approved an amendment criminalizing the vaguely defined act of “aggressive proselytizing” with fines or jail terms of up to three years.   “Romania is approaching a historic moment, as it stands at the door of accession into the European Union,” said Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ).  “The parliament has the duty to ensure Romania upholds its religious freedom commitments, so I urge the withdrawal of the current draft and the removal of provisions limiting free speech.  Religious speech is a fundamental part of religious liberty and must be protected.” In addition to the speech limitations, the draft would create the most burdensome registration system in the entire OSCE region, by creating a multi-tiered system where applicant religious communities for the most preferential status must wait 12 years and show their membership exceeds 0.1% of the population of Romania, or 23,000 persons.  Of the 18 currently registered religious groups, approximately one-fourth would fail to meet the proposed numerical threshold. “Ensuring the full realization of religious freedom in Romania in compliance with OSCE commitments is critical,” said Helsinki Commission Ranking Member Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD).  “Considering that Romania wishes to host a major OSCE meeting next year on tolerance, the Chamber must ensure its own laws promote that theme rather than discriminate against minority religious groups.”  Efforts to improve the text last year were unsuccessful, as the draft was rushed to the Romanian Senate under “emergency procedures” before additional technical improvements could be made. The bill passed passively in the Senate in December, without modification, despite more than 60 substantive amendments that were never considered.  The bill was registered with the Chamber of Deputies in February of this year. “I have fought for religious freedom in Romania for years, and I am very troubled that such a regressive law is being considered,” said Helsinki Commissioner Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-VA).  “I urge the Deputies reviewing the draft to respect international norms and eliminate the onerous tiered system of recognition, in favor of a system that provides one general status for all religious communities.”  “In addition to the concerns expressed by my colleagues, I believe forcing ‘religious associations’ to wait more than a decade before qualifying for the highest ‘religion’ status is blatantly discriminatory,” said Helsinki Commissioner Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA).  “The 12-year moratorium amounts to a ban and should be eliminated.  Romania should do more to uphold its OSCE commitments.”    The concerns raised by members of the Helsinki Commission have also been voiced by other groups. The OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief has been consulted in the drafting process, providing technical assistance for some time.  In October 2005, the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission found several key areas needing further refinement.  The Venice Commission’s concerns have also gone unaddressed.

WASHINGTON - Estimated at 8-12 million, Roma are Europe’s largest ethnic minority – and also one of its most marginalized.  Throughout the region, Roma face disproportionate levels of poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment.  In a classic downward spiral, each of these conditions exacerbates the others in a self-perpetuating cycle.  Efforts to improve the situation of Roma are often stunted by pervasive discrimination, opportunistic political anti-Romism, and government neglect.  In spite of this, Roma are taking control of their political destiny as never before – winning seats in the European Parliament and winning cases before the European Court on Human Rights.  In order to address the challenges the Roma community continues to confront, the Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing to examine the current situation of Roma in Central Europe, with a focus on human rights.  In particular, the briefing will address:           - The causes and implications of the housing crisis facing Roma;           - The progress of efforts to end segregated education in the region; and            - The impact on Roma of rising populist and extremist movements. “The Human Rights Situation of Roma:  Europe’s Largest Ethnic Minority” Friday, June 16, 2006 10:00 a.m. 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building Witnesses: Madga Matache, Director, Romani CRISS (Center for Social Intervention and Studies) (Romania) Timea Junghaus, Arts and Culture Network Program, Open Society Institute (Hungary) Tano Bechev, Program Director, Regional Policy Development Centre (Bulgaria) Nicolae Gheorghe, Senior Advisor, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

BRUSSELS - U.S. lawmakers from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe urged fellow parliamentarians from more than 50 countries to enact comprehensive laws to combat child pornography and prosecute those involved in the multi-billion dollar industry.  A U.S.-sponsored resolution on “Combating Trafficking and the Exploitation of Children in Pornography,” was unanimously adopted and issued in Brussels today.     “Child pornography is a plague that affects every OSCE participating State,” said Helsinki Commissioner Representative Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA). “Currently, those who produce or disseminate child pornography can evade criminal liability by operating in countries with weak laws against child abuse and child pornography.” On Monday, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s plenary session unanimously approved the resolution cosponsored by Rep. Pitts.  Pitts heads the U.S. Delegation in Brussels for the annual meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  The delegation includes Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), who serves as PA President, Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), Rep. Diane E. Watson (D-CA), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), and Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI).  “As the parliamentary resolution recognizes, the lives of children exploited through child pornography are forever altered,” said Pitts.  “First, they are victimized by the sexual abuse involved in producing the pornography.  Then, they are re-victimized as the images are irretrievable and potentially viewed forever.”  Pitts called on lawmakers to pass legislation to combat child pornography and strengthen the ability of law enforcement to crack down on networks often operating across borders.   The appeal came at a special side meeting convened by the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) to educate parliamentarians on the scope of exploitation and abuse of children through pornography widely distributed via the Internet.     A new study of child pornography released by the ICMEC, surveying laws in 184 Interpol member countries produced alarming results: more than half of these countries (95) have no laws addressing child pornography and in many other countries, the existing laws are inadequate.  “Child pornography is a high profit/low risk business,” concluded Pitts.  “The risk of prosecution is low, and the potential to make huge sums of money is high.  I urge my parliamentary colleagues to criminalize the exploitation of children in pornography.  Only then can we ensure our children are protected.”  In many OSCE countries there remain significant gaps in the existing legal framework that hamper the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies to combat international child pornography networks operating across borders, principally via the Internet. A survey of the OSCE countries based on the report, Child Pornography: Model Legislation & Global Review, finds that: 6 countries lack any laws criminalizing any aspect of child pornography; 32 countries lack any legal definition of child pornography; 16 countries have failed to make the possession of child pornography a crime; 20 countries lack laws criminalizing the distribution of child pornography via computer and the Internet; and 50 do not require Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to report suspected child pornography to law enforcement. To date, Belgium, France, and the United States are the only OSCE countries to have enacted comprehensive laws addressing all 5 of these areas.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback and Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman and Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, announced that the Commission will hold a hearing to examine programs within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that focus on the development of human rights and democracy. The hearing will have a specific focus on the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and its role in monitoring elections in OSCE countries. The hearing will also commemorate the work of the ODIHR as it marks its 15th anniversary. Advancing the Human Dimension in the OSCE The Role of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Wednesday, May 17, 2006 2:00 PM Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226 The ODIHR has played an important role over the last fifteen years in advancing human rights and the development of democracy in the OSCE participating States. ODIHR is engaged throughout the OSCE area in the fields of democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, and promotion of the rule of law and has set the international standard for election observation. This hearing will examine the unique role played by the ODIHR in election observations and will address the current challenges faced by the OSCE as it seeks to define and strengthen the role the organization plays in election monitoring. Panel I Mr. Kurt Volker, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State Panel II Ambassador Christian Strohal, Director, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Panel III Mr. Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy Mr. Jeff Fischer, Senior Director, Center for Transitional and Post-Conflict Governance, IFES Mr. Patrick Merloe, Senior Associate and Director, Programs on Election Processes, National Democratic Institute Mr. Lorne Craner, President, International Republican Institute

WASHINGTON - Following a spate of attacks this month on Roma in Russia which ended in at least four deaths, the leadership of the Helsinki Commission called upon Russian President Putin and other elected officials to condemn these crimes.  They also urged intensified efforts to combat a wave of violence against ethnic and religious minorities that has spiked in Russia recently.  On April 13, two people were beaten to death at a Romani camp in southern Russia, and two days later two Romani brothers were shot to death in a town in northwest Russia. " "A nation that strives to be a rule of law state must protect all its citizens,” said Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission.  “The alternatives are a police state that protects only some citizens or anarchy that protects no one.” “Some people are debating whether these crimes were racially motivated or mere ‘hooliganism,’ the favorite charge used by Russian prosecutors to downgrade manifestly serious offenses,” added Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ).  “Whatever the motivation, these are very serious crimes that resulted in the deaths of Roma and other minorities, including students from Africa, and justice demands that the perpetrators be prosecuted.” Ranking Member Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) remarked, “We look to Russia, the Chairman of the G-8 and a member of the OSCE, to uphold the rule of law by protecting the weak and vulnerable.  Like all nations, Russia should aggressively pursue those who violate the law and basic principles of human dignity by hatefully targeting minorities.” Ranking Member Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) urged Russian law enforcement to act.  “The families of these victims deserve justice, and minority communities need reassurance from the Russian Government.  I’m sure I speak not only for myself and other Helsinki Commissioners, but for millions of Russian citizens who expect their political leaders to provide whatever federal oversight is necessary to ensure that these crimes are vigorously prosecuted.” Background Russian domestic media and non-governmental organizations have reported on an escalation of violence against foreigners as well as minorities indigenous to the Russian Federation.  Earlier in the month, two Mongolian students were attacked in St. Petersburg and a Senegalese student was shot to death by a student wielding a pistol with a swastika design.   The assailant who slashed several worshippers at a Moscow synagogue in January 2006 was sentenced in March to a thirteen-year labor camp sentence.    However, the jury trial for eight men charged in connection with the 2004 assualt in St. Petersburg of three ethnic Tajiks, that caused the death of a nine-year old girl, resulted in March 2006 only in “hooliganism” convictions for seven of the perpetrators and acquittal for the other.   On April 22, an Armenian teenager was stabbed to death in the Moscow Metro by an unknown attacker who, according to witnesses, had a shaved head and was dressed in black.   In the days prior to Hitler’s birthday, April 20th, skinhead leaders had threatened racist violence and several foreign embassies received menacing e-mails.        In March 2005, Helsinki Commissioners condemned a pogrom against Roma in the Siberian town of Iskitim, where hundreds of Roma were burned out of their homes. A subsequent arson attack in Iskitim in November resulted in the death of an eight-year-old girl. The U.S. Helsinki Commission held a briefing on the situation of Roma in Russia in 2004.  The transcript is available on our website.

WASHINGTON - The Helsinki Commission held a hearing on “The Legacy of Chornobyl:  Health and Safety 20 Years Later,” commemorating the 20th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident at the Chornobyl power plant in Ukraine. The health, environmental, and socio-economic costs of the disaster at Chornobyl continue to have a profound impact on people in the region, especially in Ukraine and Belarus which bore the brunt of Chornobyl’s radioactive fallout. “The bitter legacy of Chornobyl continues to be felt twenty years later, and its consequences will remain for the people of the region and beyond for a long time to come,” said Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) who chaired the hearing.  “We need to be vigilant of the latent health effects that still are expected to emerge and ensure that there is public awareness about the health threat.” Smith stressed the importance of the completion of the Chornobyl Shelter Implementation Plan to cover the rapidly deteriorating sarcophagus covering the damaged reactor:  “We need to do everything possible to protect people and the environment from the large quantity of radioactive remains of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant even as we persist in our assistance to the victims.”   “An important lesson from Chornobyl – one that remains relevant today – is in the importance of transparency in governance,” said Ranking Member Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD).  “The nature of the Soviet system did not lead to a humane or rational response to the tragedy. The consequences of this secrecy remain with us to this day.  They are a vivid reminder of the value of open, democratic and accountable governments which respect the human rights and dignity of the individual.” Testifying at the hearing were:  Stephen G. Rademaker, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation; Oleh Shamshur, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States; David Marples, Professor of History at the University of Alberta and author of three books on Chornobyl; Pablo Rubenstein, M.D., Director, National Cord Blood Program at the New York Blood Center; and Kathleen Ryan, Executive Director, USA, Chernobyl Children’s Project International. An transcript of the hearing is on the Commission website.

WASHINGTON - Last night the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.Res. 578, encouraging the Government of Romania to “amend its child welfare and adoption laws to decrease barriers to adoption, both domestically and intercountry, including by allowing intercountry adoption by persons other than biological grandparents.” “The Romanian child welfare system, including its ban on intercountry adoption, has been hailed by some as a model for protecting orphaned or abandoned children.  In reality, the Romanian Government’s own statistics and reports from concerned individuals in Romania indicate that the children’s situations have actually worsened since passage of the new laws in 2004,” said Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS).  “Members of Congress and the U.S. Helsinki Commission will not stand idly by as these children suffer.  We will also vehemently oppose any effort to replicate the Romanian model in other countries.” A major problem with Romania’s laws is that they place an unrealistic priority on “unification” of an abandoned child with biological relatives without regard for how long unification should be attempted, how old the child is, or how long he or she has been in state care without contact with relatives.  As a result, it is nearly impossible to declare any child adoptable.  The U.S. Helsinki Commission examined these problems at a September 14, 2005, hearing entitled “In the Best Interest of the Children: Romania’s Ban on Inter-Country Adoption.”  “I am very pleased that the House of Representatives has forcefully spoken about the need to provide permanent homes and families for tens of thousands of children in Romania,” said Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) who sponsored the measure.  “We urge Romanian authorities to reconsider their adoption law. The law is bad for children---it has nearly shut down adoptions within Romania and completely foreclosed the option for adoption by a loving family in another country.  It is also inconsistent with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption which supports the propriety of international adoption as a legitimate way to find families for children in need.”  “The Romanian Government heard from the House of Representatives today that more must be done to provide permanent, loving homes for children,” said Commission Ranking Member Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD).  “If adoptive families can be found within Romania that is wonderful.  But that capacity clearly does not yet exist and, in the meantime, intercountry adoption must be reconsidered as an option for children who will otherwise spend a lifetime languishing in state care.” The House resolution passed by a vote of 428-0.  The resolution notes that when intercountry adoptions were prohibited by law 273 in 2004, there were believed to be approximately 1,700 pending cases in which children had been matched with adoptive parents in other countries, including the United States.  Recent statements by the Romanian Government have placed the actual number of pending cases at 1,100.  The resolution “urges the Government of Romania to complete the processing of the intercountry adoption cases which were pending when Law 273/2004 was enacted.”   Romania is party to the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (commonly known as the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption). “Despite the Romanian Government’s repeated promises to analyze each pending case thoroughly, transparently and with the child’s best interest in mind, we’re hearing that they have now all been rejected,” said Commissioner Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA).  “The majority of these children still do not have permanent families in Romania, but the government has denied them permanence elsewhere due to misguided politics driven by EU accession.” “It is my fervent hope that passage of this resolution will cause the Romanian authorities, and those in the European Union to whom they look for advice, to take a new stand for innocent babies and children,” said Smith.

WASHINGTON - The leadership of the U.S. Helsinki Commission expressed grave concern about the situation facing Abdul Rahman, an Afghan citizen who converted to Christianity and is now on trial in Kabul for rejecting Islam.  Afghanistan has status as a Partner for Cooperation in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).      “I urge the Government of Afghanistan to abide by the international principles enshrined in its constitution and for the prosecutor to drop the charges against Mr. Rahman,” said Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). “The Afghan constitution promises to respect the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the freedom to change one’s faith.  If Mr. Rahman is sentenced to death, it would be a grievous violation of their constitution and this fundamental tenet of the Universal Declaration.” Article 3 of Afghanistan’s constitution declares that “no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam.” Under Shari’a law, Islamic law that governs both the public and private lives of those living in an Islamic state, apostasy from Islam is punishable by death.  The preamble of the Afghan constitution, however, states the country will “respect the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” which in Article 18 guarantees the freedom to change one’s religion.  “First and foremost, I am very concerned about protecting Mr. Rahman’s life,” said Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ).  “If the prosecutor presses these charges, this will be the first time an Afghan court has tested their ambiguous 2004 constitution and could set a troubling precedent.  For sure, sentencing Mr. Rahman to death is contrary to human rights and religious freedoms in the 21st century.”  While Mr. Rahman converted over 14 years ago, his family reportedly turned him into the authorities after he tried to gain custody of his two daughters.  The Primary Court expects to render a decision in two months.  Both the prosecutor and the trial judge have reportedly stated Mr. Rahman will be spared if he converts back to Islam.  If Mr. Rahman refuses and the court finds in favor of the death penalty, Mr. Rahman can appeal the ruling to the Provincial Court and the Supreme Court.  In addition, President Hamid Karzai must consent to the application of the death penalty before any execution.

WASHINGTON - .S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) today described Belarus’ election as a farce. “The detention of hundreds of opposition activists in advance of Sunday’s voting in Belarus has deprived opposition campaigns of their leaders, further contributing to a climate of fear in that country.  Newspapers have been seized.  An early voting system is in full force in which people are being pressured to vote for the regime.  International observers are being detained, denied visas or turned away at the border.  Belarus’ KGB chief is engaging in hysterical threats that protests will be viewed as ‘terrorism’ and Lukashenka is threatening to ‘break the neck’ of dissent.  These are all indications of a regime terrified of its own people and that has no intention of conducting a free and fair vote,” concluded Chairman Brownback.  “Once again, Lukashenka is taking no chances and tightening his grip as Europe’s last dictator.” Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) concurred: “We see acts of desperation by a despot interested in one thing: maintaining power no matter what.  The regime is fueling an already tense situation, brought about by its wholesale violations of elementary human rights and democratic norms.  Far-fetched accusations of opposition plans for an uprising show contempt for the people of Belarus and are reminiscent of the Soviet Union circa 1938.  I am deeply concerned over the escalating paranoia evidenced by Lukashenka and his inner circle and their threats to resort to force in the face of peaceful dissent.”   In the last day alone, the Belarusian authorities have detained a group of Georgian parliamentarians, denied visas for Members of the European Parliament, two Helsinki Commission staff members and other OSCE observers, and turned many away at the border, underscoring that regime’s siege mentality.   Helsinki Commission staff members Ronald McNamara and Orest Deychakiwsky were denied accreditation by the Central Election Commission and visas to observe Sunday’s elections.  The two were to have been part of the OSCE’s International Election Observation Mission to Belarus, headed by Helsinki Commissioner Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL).   A transcript of the Helsinki Commission’s March 9 hearing, “Freedom Denied: Belarus on the Eve of the Election,” is available on the Commission’s website.