The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, has this evening rejected claims in an Amnesty International report that Ireland failed in its Presidency of the Council of Europe to deal adequately with the crisis in Chechnya.
"I am disappointed that Amnesty has misrepresented Ireland's skilful handling of Chechnya while holding the Presidency of the Council of Europe," he said.
Earlier today Amnesty has criticised the State for its failure to comply with international human rights standards both in its actions at home and in the international arena, in a detailed audit.
The audit examined the State’s record during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe finding that it failed to take effective action against the Russian Federation, which is a member of the Council, as the situation in Chechnya deteriorated.
The Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer siad that he was surprised at the report's criticism of Ireland.
"Ireland's Presidency, in the first half of lastr year, was a key moment in our action on Chechnya," he said.
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The 100 page "audit of compliance with international human rights standards" produced by the Irish Section of Amnesty International looked at the degree to which the Government protected the right to freedom from ill treatment, the right to seek asylum and the right to a fair trial.
Speaking at the launch, author of the audit, Ms Sophie Magennis, praised the initiation of the Garda human rights initiative 1999-2000 and the phased introduction of audio/video recording of police interviews.
"However in the area of a fully independent police complaints procedure and the absence of effective safeguards to prevent the ill treatment of prisoners the State falls short of compliance with international human rights standards," she said.
Ms Magennis said the Oireachtas sub-committee investigating the Abbeylara shooting highlighted the need for a permanent independent body to look into such incidents.
The audit also criticised the State’s legal provision for asylum-seekers which it said fell "seriously short of international law".
Ireland is obliged to comply with legally binding treaties to which it is party to, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Offence Against the State Acts (1939-98) (the OAS Acts), including the establishment of the Special Criminal Court and the power to intern people without trial, were highlighted as not being in accordance with the human rights standards the State has signed up to.
"The organisation considers that certain provisions of the OAS Acts violate the right to be presumed innocent and the right not to be compelled to testify against oneself," Ms Magennis said.
Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty Mr Sean Love said the organisation has a constructive though complicated relationship with the Government with a natural tension between their determination to build an ever increasing commitment to human rights against the Government’s other priorities.
"We will always be on the outside of the tent looking in," he said.