Russia's Foreign Ministry lambasted the U.S. on Thursday over a Senate study on torture techniques used in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, urging human rights organizations to campaign for Washington's full disclosure of its controversial practices in its War on Terror.
The study's content is "shocking," Konstantin Dolgov, the Foreign Ministry's commissioner for human rights, democracy and rule of law, said in a statement Thursday. "The declassified information is yet another confirmation of American authorities' systematic gross violations of human rights."
Published on Tuesday, the 525-page Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's detention and interrogation program — which led to the brutal treatment of suspected terrorists and produced little valuable intelligence — sent shockwaves through American society and around the world.
Dolgov, who has lashed out at Washington in the past for what he described as double standards in reprimanding Russia and other countries for their human rights records, added that the study raised questions about criminal liability for the nations that agreed to the creation of secret prisons.
"We urge the human rights community, and relevant international organizations and structures, to get Washington to disclose information about the entire spectrum of offenses committed within the framework of the 'global War on Terror' and bring perpetrators to justice," he said.
Dolgov tweeted Tuesday that these practices had been "known to everyone long ago" and that the Obama administration's outlawing of torture had been overshadowed by its reluctance to punish those "responsible for perpetrating gross human rights violations" in U.S.-run secret detention centers.
"This situation does not match claims that the United States is a 'standard of democracy,'" Dolgov said in the statement, referring to the still-active Guantanamo Bay detention camp. "This is far from reality."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
