10:52, 5 March 2004

Representative of Meskhetian Turks reports to UN on discrimination of his people in Krasnodar Territory

Akhmed Mazmanov of the International Society of Meskhetian Turks "Vatan" made a report within a framework of the thematic discussion on the state of non-citizens at the 64th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva on March 1.

He pointed to the sudden worsening of the state of Meskhetian Turks in Krasnodar Territory and to the inactivity of the Russian Government towards the implementation of last year's recommendations by the United Nations aimed at the elimination of racial discrimination.

Activists of the Memorial Society and the Center for Development of Democracy and Human Rights also presented information of experts on the authorities' persecution of the local rights NGOs Southern Wave and School of Peace, which draw international attention to the problem of Meskhetian Turks.

Editors note: See also the article "Head of Krasnodar regional association of Meskhetian Turks "Vatan": "We are Russian citizens and want to leave nowhere!"".

Author: Yana Lobastova, CK correspondent

Source: Caucasian Knot