The United Nations have strongly condemned Russia for its "disproportionate" use of force in Chechnya and called for "credible criminal investigations" into alleged war crimes by some servicemen.
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights easily approved a resolution presented by the European Union (EU), overriding vocal objections by countries including Russia and China.
The public roll-call vote at the 53-member state forum, holding its annual six-week session in Geneva, was 22 countries in favor and 12 against, with 19 delegations abstaining.
China took the floor to accuse the United States of blocking agreement on a chairman's statement - a milder form of rebuke than a resolution - which had been under negotiation between the EU and Russia for the past month.
The EU text also strongly condemned "terrorist activities and attacks...perpetrated by Chechen fighters" such as hostage-taking and sought the immediate release of all hostages.
It also called on Russia to establish a national independent commission of inquiry, but did not endorse calls by watchdog groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to set up an international commission of inquiry into abuses.
"The Commission basically did the right thing today," said Joanna Weschler of the New York-based Human Rights Watch. "But the shabby investigations into abuse launched by Russia show that only an international commission can establish the truth."
It was the second time the main U.N. human rights forum has condemned Russia on Chechnya. A similar text last year was the first time in its more than 50-year history it had rebuked a permanent member of the Security Council.