INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RTS: Building a Democratic Russia

Last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that the Russian government has accumulated too much power, which is blocking protection of the Russian people’s rights. Russia is in a transition to democracy under President Vladimir Putin.

"I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin," said Rice.

In the U.S. State Department’s most recent human rights report on Russia, it describes the rising authoritarianism in the Kremlin, in addition to “a compliant legislature, political pressure on the judiciary, intolerance of ethnic minorities, corruption and selectivity in enforcement of the law, and media restrictions and self-censorship.”[1]

Thus, Rice has spoken with human rights activists in Russia to build institutions of democracy to offset rising arbitrary state power. Democratic elections are coming up in December and March, which she hopes will not be affected by democratic backsliding.

“How these two elections are carried out will have an effect on whether Russia is making the next step on toward democracy," said Rice.

Rice has made an important point that Russia should protect the rights of its people. The U.S. is making a wise move by remaining active in Russia’s transition to democracy. For one thing, Russia is still in the process of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ensuring that its government maintains a smooth transition to democracy in future years, especially the next few, will be vitally essential. It must be guaranteed that Russia has a stable government that protects its people’s rights.

Freedom of speech and communication is another point worth mentioning. Electronic media restrictions have cast doubt on the freedom of speech. If the Kremlin is already amassing so much power to limit the media’s independence, one must wonder if it will ever become a “true democracy” in the future. The Russia media should have its free voice in a democracy.

Russia must build a strong foundation in the beginning, and the U.S. is right in being committed to helping it do so.

- Denise

International Human Rights

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[1] http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/10/13/rice.russia.ap/index.html