Russia stated that “foreign agents” and persecution of LGBT people do not violate rights

The Russian delegation to the UN Human Rights Council presented a report on the state of human rights in the country. The head of the delegation, Deputy Minister of Justice of Russia Andrey Loginov, said that Russia carefully follows the UN Charter, the rights of citizens are not violated in it, the status of a foreign agent should only protect the country from foreign influence, LGBT people are not persecuted if they do not “propagandize” their way of life. and independent journalists are imprisoned for crimes unrelated to journalism.

The report of the Russian delegation at the UN European headquarters in Geneva was presented on Monday. Such reports are regularly made by the states that are members of the Human Rights Council, after which the UN issues its recommendations to improve the situation.

In his report, Loginov stated that Russia is making great efforts in the field of human rights protection. In Russia, according to him, effective programs for the elderly have been adopted, for example, “Active Longevity”, online legal consultations have appeared, criminal articles on torture have been brought to international standards, conditions for mothers have improved, including in prisons, the fight against any discrimination, especially racism and xenophobia. He noted that Russia’s withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights was a forced measure.

According to Loginov, Russia is often blamed for the persecution of the political opposition and the introduction of the status of so-called foreign agents. He said that the institute of foreign agents was introduced only in order to inform the population about cases of “foreign influence”, and that the status of a foreign agent does not affect the rights of those recognized as such to participate actively or passively in the electoral process and does not limit other rights. [На самом деле лицам, признанным “иноагентами”, в России законодательно запрещено преподавать в школах и вузах, организовывать публичные мероприятия, проходить контрактную службу в армии, участвовать в госзакупках, работать членами избирательной комиссии. – РС]

Loginov also said that representatives of the LGBT community are not persecuted in Russia. Laws only prohibit them from “propagandizing their way of life, as alien to traditional values.” [На самом деле действует запрет на любое упоминание однополых связей не в осуждающем контексте. – РС]

He stated that there is no censorship and censorship bodies in Russia. [На самом деле функции цензуры в отношении публичных высказываний и действий выполняют Роскомнадзор и Росфинмониторинг. – РС]

Regarding persecuted and detained independent journalists, including foreign ones, Loginov stated that they are not being persecuted for their journalistic activities, but on charges of espionage and other crimes.

After the report of the Russian delegation, the representatives of the UN member states spoke with a number of statements. Poland demanded that Russia stop the persecution of the political opposition, release political prisoners and stop the war in Ukraine. Paraguay – to ratify the Rome Statute, that is, recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

The representative of Ukraine stated that Russia must answer for war crimes on the territory of her country, stop aggression and observe the UN Charter. Great Britain believes that Russia is obliged to return to the families of residents deported from Ukraine, primarily children, and to release political prisoners, including Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza.

The United States also demanded an end to the war and political repression, as well as an end to systematic torture, control of the situation in Chechnya, and the abolition of discriminatory laws on prosecution for “fakes about the Russian army.”

The representative of Albania called Loginov’s speech “a continuation of Russia’s disinformation campaign” and demanded an end to aggression in Ukraine.

In response, the Russian delegation stated that the country’s government intends to fight for the rights of vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, and against domestic violence. She promised to take into account the recommendations of other countries, but only those that, in her opinion, are relevant to the essence of the meeting – the protection of human rights. Questions that are not relevant to the case will be rejected – they include remarks about the war in Ukraine, which, according to Moscow, do not belong to the competence of the Human Rights Council.

The UN Human Rights Council will publish recommendations for Russia on Wednesday, November 15.