EU calls on Russia to respect fundamental rights

Apr 16, 2007, 11:27 GMT

Brussels - The European Commission on Monday called on Moscow to abide by fundamental rights after Russian police forces cracked down on opposition demonstrators over the weekend.

A commission spokeswoman said that 'freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are very important values' to which Russia had signed up as a member of international organizations.

Russia is a member of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights watchdog.

The spokeswoman said that the commission was 'very concerned' about the violent police attacks in St Petersburg and Moscow.

The 27-member EU would raise the recent events when holding talks with Russian officials on the margins of an EU foreign ministers meeting next week in Luxembourg, she said.

Respect for freedom of expression and freedom of assembly 'are very important in the pre-election phase in Russia,' the spokeswoman added.

The opposition accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of increasingly restricting human rights ahead of parliamentary elections in December 2007 and the presidential election next March.

Russian police violently broke up a rally against the policies of Putin in his native city St Petersburg on Sunday following similar brutal scenes in the capital Moscow a day before.

A total of 350 demonstrators were briefly arrested at the two rallies over the weekend.