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#30 - JRL 2008-33 - JRL Home
Ombudsman Highlights Dangers To Russian Civil Society

MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Excessive politicization of the human rights situation is impermissible; it is also impermissible to remain intolerant to human rights under the pretext of their excessive politicization, Human Rights Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin said in an annual report posted on his website on Thursday.

"In the opinion of the majority of experts, the Russian public is increasingly depoliticized. This trend showed in the latest State Duma elections," he said.

"It is necessary to warn about two equally serious dangers: excessive politicization of human rights activities and intolerance to human rights activities under the pretext of their excessive politicization," he said.

"This year will not be easy for the authorities and the public due to objective reasons," Lukin said.

"Every election inevitably becomes a lesson of democracy in its diverse forms of moral values, traditions and procedures for the young Russian state and the forming civil society. Any violations of election laws seriously infringe constitutional rights of citizens of the Russian Federation," he said.