Human Rights Watch

[chelseam23]

So I realize that this blog has almost entirely been dedicated to human rights violations in the Middle East--since this is the Small Wars Journal, but as the perpetual antagonist that I am , I'd like to throw a wrench into the conversation. Has anyone been keeping up with the "new and pro-western" Russia? What's been going on with Georgia aside, how about what's STILL going on in Chechnya?

Now I don't claim to be an expert on this region as my area of interest tends to be more in Western and Baltic Europe, as well as China. However, my cousin who has been somehow conned into being an overseas correspondent for NPR is there and has brought up some interesting issues that plague the everyday civilian in the region--regardless of nationality or technical country of residence.

It seems that the facade that Russia keeps putting up about their new "dedication to Human Rights"...blah blah blah... is a little more than absolute bs. The Kremlin is just as active as ever in criminal and torture activities (quite possibly more-so than in many countries in the middle east). For those who are not particularly familiar with the region, this is the article that started my inquiry:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125646705594006337.html

What I find interesting, is when people mention human rights violations (particularly in the media) the immediate image is of jihadists in the middle east despite potentially worse, or at least more disturbing, issues going on in a country that claims to be "civilized." Russia is of course, not the only country to be doing these types of things and it's understandable that the media is less apt to cover a story that does not entirely and immediately involve the lives of US citizens. However, I find it interesting that we condemn certain countries for these same things while subsequently ignoring the fact that an ally (and a slightly European one at that) is also guilty of equally insidious human rights violations.

Here's what Human Rights Watch has been saying since 2005 when they began to take notice:
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/03/2...ainst-humanity

Sorry to interrupt the flow. Just wanted to know what others think. Comments?