UN Human Rights Commission Backed Russia's Stand on Combating Any Manifestations of Terrorism

At the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Commission which is ending in Geneva a vast majority of its members backed Russia's position in the questions of struggle against any manifestations of terrorism, including taking hostages.

The resolution which was proposed by the Russian delegation and which unconditionally condemns all acts of taking hostages in any regions of the world was approved by consensus, without voting, at the plenary meeting on Wednesday.

As the document stresses, taking hostages, no matter who does it and where, is a grave crime aimed at destroying human rights, and cannot be justified under any circumstances.

The UN Commission called upon all states to take all necessary measures for preventing cases of taking hostages, for combating them and for punishing for them, specifically by strengthening international cooperation in this field.

At the same meeting the Commission adopted the resolution Human Rights and Terrorism, with Russia being one of its authors, by an absolute majority of votes - 30 voted for it and 12 votes - against, with 11 abstentions. The document condemns all acts, methods and practice of terrorism, irrespective of their motives, in all of their forms and manifestations as acts directed at destroying human rights, main freedoms and democracy and threatening integrity and security of states.

In the Russian delegation they stress the particular importance of this resolution's provision on the initiatives on the problems of the rights of man and terrorism, advanced at the 57th session of the UN General Assembly.

According to the delegation's representative Grigory Lukyantsev, listed among the latter is also the proposal by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Ivanov on drafting a Code of Protection of Human Rights Against Terrorism.

The past day was a kind of "Russian day" at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Commission. By a majority vote (31 out of the 53 voted for it) the members of the Commission adopted the resolution Integrity of the Judicial System proposed by the delegations of Belarus, Cuba and Russia. The document confirms each individual's right to an action at law in conventional courts or tribunals which apply the established norms of procedural law.

The U.S. delegation was the only one, which voted against the adoption of this resolution.