Soviet group to explore the problem of human rights

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 4

Soviet group to explore the problem of human rights

(N.Z. Press Assn —Copi/riflht) | MOSCOW, Nov. 22. ; Mr Andrei Shakarov,; the “Father of the Soviet H-Bomb,” and two col-; leagues recently anf nounced the formation ‘of a committee for i human rights, in an; effort to “search for constructive ways of f securing these rights” jin the Soviet . Union, . United Press Interi national reported. i i They said the committee i would be strictly non- ■ political and would act “in i accordance with Soviet t laws.” • Soviet statute, however, ■ prohibits the formation of • such groups. ’ Mr Sakharov, who was , elected to the Soviet ■ Academy of Sciences at the 1 age of 32, has been an active J campaigner for civil-liberties over the last three years. The

two other physicists who joined him in the formation , of the committee are Mr Andrei Tverdokhlebov and Mr Valery Chalidze. 1 A typewritten announce-1 ment, made available to j Western correspondents this , week, said that the committee ' would “take into account specific problems in the condition of building socialism, and the peculiarities of Soviet traditions” in the field of human-rights. The committee’s purpose was defined as follows: “To help the organs of State power in the creating and the application of human-rights guarantees, whether on the committee’s initiative or the initiative of interested organs of authority. ■ “To provide creative assistance to persons who want to conduct con- ; structive research into theoretical aspects of ; the problem of human- • rights and to study the specifics of this problem 1 in a socialist society. “To engage in legal education, specifically the publicising of international and Soviet legal documents on human-rights.”

The committee was reportedly ready to make contact with public and scientific bodies and international non-Govemmental organisations if they based themselves on United Nations’ principles and did not seek to, harm the Soviet Union. The three scientists, and seven others, have also ' signed an appeal on behalf of a Leningrad mathemati--1 cian, Dr Revolt Pimenov, who was sentenced last . month to five years in exile, according to sources in con- ’ tact with them. Pimenov, aged 39, was . found guilty of “spreading . fabrications detrimental to I the State.” Among the signatories to the appeal was the Soviet ' Academician, Mr Mikhail ' Leoniovich, a senior physi- ' cist, the sources added. ' Calling on the Russian Federal Supreme Court to ’ reconsider the case, the 1 appeal, dated November 11, 1 had said that such cases had aroused the protests of many citizens in recent years. It also charged that it had I become common practice at ; such trials to violate the principle of public hearings.