Russian Duma calls for Milosevic to be set free!

Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Declaration of the State Duma concerning the necessity of establishing time limits on the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia [ICTY].

The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation expresses deep concern regarding the work of the ICTY.

The ICTY ignores the serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by member states of NATO during their aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The ICTY has not made a legal assessment of this aggression. It has refused to hold responsible those leaders of the states, members of NATO, who took part in the aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It is of deep concern that the ICTY´s indictments and prosecutions of individuals have the character of political processes.

The ICTY also did not make the proper judgment of the activities of Albanian extremists and terrorists who committed in Kosovo crimes against humanity which are under the jurisdiction of the ICTY.

The ICTY violates the rights of the accused including the right for defense. In violation of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, it has, on the territories of sovereign states, continued to employ the unacceptable practice of arresting individuals on the basis of so-called secret lists of the accused.

Responsibility for judicial processes including those related to crimes against humanity should be turned over to the national judicial systems of the sovereign states formed on the territory of the former SFRY.

In relation to the above-mentioned, the state Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation therefore:

1. Requests from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, that he consider initiating in the Security Council of the UN a discussion of establishing the precise time frames within which the ICTY can discharge its jurisdiction, and also of abolishing the detention of the former President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, so that he can properly prepare his own defense;

2. Directs this declaration to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin;

3. Directs this Declaration to the Parliamentary Gazette for official publication;

4. Asserts that this Declaration shall go into effect the day of its adoption.

[Signed by]
G. N. Seleznev
Speaker of the State Duma of the
Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Passed February 15, 2002

[Vote: 326 voted in favor, 6 against]

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