Photo: US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle and head of the Interregional Committee against Torture Igor Kalyapin in the CAT office.

 Today Mr. John Beyrle, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary US Ambassador to Russia, has paid an informal visit to the Interregional Committee against Torture in Nizhny Novgorod.  The ambassador has met the Committee head, Mr. Igor Kalyapin, and vice-chairman of the CAT, Ms. Olga Sadovskaya.

Photo: John Beyrle  and Igor Kalyapin

During the meeting they discussed the situation in Russia in terms of developing democratic institutes, observing democratic norms and civil rights, and activities of the Committee against Torture aimed at protection of human rights and freedoms, promotion of respect for human rights in Russia.  Mr. Beyrle highly appreciated the Committee’s efforts to counter the practice of tortures and cruel treatment and its educational activities in the sphere of legal literacy as well as the organization’s ambition to contribute to the establishment of a responsible civil society with a priority for human rights and freedoms in Russia.

Photo: US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle.

Besides, the parties discussed the issues related to the operation of Russian and American human rights NGOs targeted at developing and promoting human rights globally. The Ambassador emphasized the huge role of such organizations as Human Rights Watch, for example, in implementing effective strategies of public control over state agencies, e.g. control over the situation with terrorism suspects’ abuse in the United States.

Photo: meeting in the Committee headquarters

The participants also discussed the situation in Chechnya where the Committee against Torture is engaged in creating an effective mechanism for investigating malfeasance in office affecting the Chechen population.

Press-service

Of the Interregional Committee against Torture