Friday, 16 December 12.30 – 2pm
The Russian Embassy, 13 Kensington Palace Gardens, London, W8 4QX
The Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC) and Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers have organised a protest outside the Russian Embassy on Friday 16th December in support of Prof Bill Bowring – founder and academic coordinator of the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) at the London Metropolitan University – was detained and deported without warning or any explanation from Russia on November 15th 2005.
“The treatment of Human Rights Activists and NGO’s in Russia is a matter of deep concern”
Lord Rea of Erskdale
Prof. Bowring is well known through his work at EHRAC as an ardent defender of human rights and civil liberties in Russia. In February of this year he was instrumental in pursuing and winning landmark cases for human rights abuses against Chechen civilians at the the European Court of Human Rights. It\’s essential that all with concern for human rights abuses in Chechnya or the state of civil liberties in Russia express their protest at this blatant throw back to authoritarianism.
Prof Bill Bowring is a prominent human rights barrister and teacher, and member of the EC of the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC). He was on his way to Russia to as an BHRC accredited international observer at the trial of Stanislav Dmitriyevsky- Chief Dditor of the paper ‘Human Rights Protection’ and Executive Director of the Society for Russian Chechen Friendship. Mr Dmitriyevsky is being prosecuted for printing an article by deceased Chechen President, Aslan Maskhadov, in which he called for talks to end the conflict in Chechnya.
Prof Bowring already held a multi-entry visa which was cancelled without warning or explanation as he was deported. The visa was to have expired in 10/9/2006. The Russian authorities knew very well that he has been travelling frequently to Russia since 1983, is married to a Russian and loves Russia, is the founder and academic coordinator of the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) helping Russians take their complaints to the European Court of Human Rights, and has also represented the interests of ethnic Russians suffering discrimination in the Baltic states.
He is known and respected for his integrity and dedication and up till now was able to travel without official interference throughout the Russian Federation.
Russia’s treatment of Prof. Bowring and reflects poorly on her role as member of the Council of Europe and imminent Chair of the G8. The Russian authorities are strongly urged to immediately and unconditionally restore Prof Bowring’s visa; to allow him to travel to the Russia to observe trials and carry out human rights protection; and to give a full explanation for his treatment.
For more information contact CAMPACC Tel: 020 7586 5892 or 020 7250 1315
E-mail: estella24@tiscali.co.uk
Website: www.campacc.or
