Wednesday, 19 August 2009
To the President of Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev
Dear Dmitry Anatolievich!
Under the support of "For human rights" Russian public movement the action group of the Moscow State University Journalism department graduates is contacting you with the request to protect the rights of Russian citizens Boris Orazovich Shikhmuradov and Serdar Seyitniyazovich Rakhimov, condemned in Turkmenistan at the end of 2002 and beginning of 2003 for preparation of coup d'etat and attempt on the President Niyazov's life.
The investigation of so-called "attempted murder", which took place in Ashgabat on November 25, 2002, led to the prosecution of hundreds of innocent people, including Russian citizens. The world community unanimously recognized this event as the frame-up, organized with the purpose of eliminating the opposition force.
MSU Journalism department graduates – the ex-Foreign Affair Minister of Turkmenistan Boris Shikhmuradov and ex-Chairman of the Committee for television and radio broadcasting of Turkmenistan Serdar Rakhimov – have spent over six years in jail, totally isolated from the outer world. Even the closest relatives are not aware of their imprisonment location. They cannot receive letters and parcels. They are not the subject of pardon. They are not allowed to see the representatives of international human rights organizations and International committee of Red Cross.
The reports of UN, OSCE, the Amnesty International, dedicated to the human rights in Turkmenistan, constantly remind Turkmen government about the necessity to perform committed obligations, provide information about prisoners and let international observers meet them.
The recently published joint declaration of four Duma parties – Edinaya Rossia, CPRF, LDPR and Spravedlivaya Rossia –dedicated to the anniversary of war in South Ossetia, underlines that "human life must be the main protected and sacred value and this is the main goal of every state and administration". The declaration fairly indicates that "each citizen of Russian Federation must be always confident that Russia will take care of him" and that "Russian will continue protecting its historic positions and compatriots, regardless of the residence country".
Shikhmuradov and Rakhimov, the political prisoners and Russian citizens, are deprived of the support and assistance from Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry that still considers it to be "premature" to raise issue about their fate, referring to unwillingness to undermine "the positive mood", existing between Russia and Turkmenistan. Therefore, the principles of Russian foreign policy, formulated by you, Dmitry Anatolievich, are directly undermined; one of the principles says: "The absolute priority for us is safeguarding lives and dignity of our citizens, regardless of their location".
In this concern, we address you, dear Dmitry Anatolievich, with the appeal to take personal control over the violation of rights of Russian citizens Boris Shikhmuradov and Serdar Rakhimov in Turkmenistan and perform as guarantee of loyalty, assigning FAM of Russian Federation to organize the meeting between RF Embassy representatives in Turkmenistan and prisoners with the purpose of providing the assistance.
Gryzunov Sergey Petrovich, former RF Minister of Press, the professor at MSIIR
Igrunov V.V., the State Duma deputy of 1-3 convocation, the Director of International Instate for humanitarian and political research
Krutov A.N., the State Duma deputy of 4 convocation, the Chief Editor of Russkyi Dom magazine
Lukianov F.A., the Chief Editor of Russia in global politics magazine
Solomonov Y.B., the Head of Higher School of journalism under International University in Moscow
Bogomolov Y.A., the journalist, co-Chairman of Ryazan branch of Solidarity democratic movement
Zernova L.S., the Chief Editor of Ecology and Rule magazine and Bellona environmental human rights center (St. Petesburg)
Ivanov V.L. (Beresnev), the Chief Editor of Novaya Gazeta in St. Petesburg
Dubnov A.Y., the observer of Vremya novostei newspaper
Kislov D.A., the Chief Editor of Ferghana.Ru news agency
Sharogradskaya A.A., the Director of regional press Institute, St. Petersburg
Lidia Smirnova, the Action group of MSU Journalism department graduates
Nina Katerli, the author, the member of Authors’ Union of Moscow, the member of PEN club
Ponomarev L.A., the member of Moscow-Helsinki group, the Executive Director of "For human rights" public movement
Gleb Yakunin, the priest, the member of Moscow-Helsinki group, Public committee for protection of liberty of conscience
Chernyi E.I., the Executive Secretary of Public community for protection of scientists
Alexeeva A.V., the graduate of MSU Journalism department
Grafova L.A., the Chief Editor of Rossiyskaya migraciya magazine
Gefter V.M., the Director of Human Rights Institute, the member of the Council for civil society development and human rights under the President of RF
Galina Nechaeva, the Doctor of St. Petersburg state university of cinema and television
Boris Vishnevskiy, the observer of Novaya Gazeta
Ruslan Kutaev, the International committee for Northern Caucasus
Kalinovskaya N., Beresteneva S., Psou TOS Imeretinka
