Advocacy for Human Rights in Chechnya

About this grant

In Chechnya, human rights violations are constantly occurring, with civilians often the target of gross abuses by Russian military forces. Despite these offenses, the international community is largely silent about the conduct of the Russian military there and the general disregard for humanitarian law. While international concern is weakening, the war in Chechnya is the worst human rights crisis in the region and, now in its fourth year, the most serious conflict in Europe.Multiyear funding will enable the International Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (IHF) to conduct regular fact-finding missions to Chechnya, Dagestan, Georgia and Ingushetia to investigate human rights abuses and report to policymakers and the media; advocate for greater attention, monitoring and follow-up in the international community; increase public awareness; and support local Russian and Chechen human rights activists.IHF is a non-governmental, nonprofit human rights organization that works to promote compliance with international human rights commitments. IHF has been working on human rights issues in Russia since 1982 and on the Chechen situation during both recent wars in 1995 and 1999.