Pressrelease from Bellona USA
Congressional Briefing
Helsinki Commission Joins Russian Parliamentarian in Human Rights, Nikitin Debate
March 22 – Members of the U.S. House of Representatives" Helsinki Commission will join Russian Duma Member Aleksandr Shishlov at a briefing on human rights, democratization and civil society. The meeting is open for press, congressional staff and the general public.
Shishlov represents St. Petersburg in the Russian Duma. He is a member of the pro-democracy, reformist Yabloko Party and a colleague of slain democracy activist Galina Starovoitova. Shishlov assisted at the trial of environmental activist Aleksandr Nikitin, who is charged with espionage for his contributions to the Bellona report The Nikitin case has created international concern for both the state of civil society in Russia and global environmental dangers stemming from the Cold War nuclear legacy.
Shishlov will speak to the Nikitin case, the highly controversial religion laws, and human rights and democratization issues. The briefing will address U.S. policy towards Russia, especially in relation to the simultaneous meeting between U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Yevgeniy Primakov.
Shishlov will be joined by members and staff of the Helsinki Commission, Micah Naftalin (Union of Councils for Soviet Jews) Stephen Mills (Sierra Club), Judah Schroeder (Jehovah"s Witnesses), Leonid Stonov (Moscow Bureau on Human Rights) and Thomas Jandl (Bellona USA).
WHERE & WHEN:
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2226,
March 24, 1999, 2:00 p.m.