Appeal by a group of Russian citizens to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights

Resolution 421 (1969)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 30 September 1969 (10th Sitting) (see Doc. 2608, report of the Committee on European Non-Member Countries). Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 1969 (10th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having taken note of the recent appeal by Pyotr Yakir and a group of 54 other Russian citizens to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, inviting that Commission to examine the present situation in the Soviet Union with regard to human rights and fundamental freedoms ;

2. Considering that it is the duty of the free nations of Europe, as guardians of human rights and fundamental freedoms, to express their sympathy and solidarity with this group of Russian citizens whose spokesman is the historian Pyotr Yakir ;

3. Recalling its Resolution 364 (1968) on the defence of the freedom of opinion and expression in European countries,

4.

a Asks its members to intervene in national parliaments and with their governments in order

4.1.1 to encourage them to bring the appeal of the group of Russian citizens whose spokesman is Pyotr Yakir to the attention of the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations ;

4.1.2 to ensure that new machinery for dealing with communications to the UN Commission on Human Rights proposed by this Commission in Resolution 17 (XXV) of 17 March 1969 is adopted by the UN Economic and Social Council and comes into force as soon as possible ;

b Invites its Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations to take similar steps.