Twenty-two European countries submitted a proposed...

Twenty-two European countries submitted a proposed resolution to the UN Human Rights Commission accusing Russia of grave rights violations in the breakaway republic of Chechnya. The resolution accused Russia of forced disappearances, summary executions, torture and harassment during so-called sweep operations, when Russian troops comb areas they control to search for rebel holdouts. The commission has already condemned Russia twice for abuses in Chechnya. In 2000, Russia became the first permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to be censured by the commission for its human rights abuses. Moscow was condemned again in 2001 but escaped criticism in 2002 when another European resolution was defeated by one vote. The latest resolution said that Russia must do more to "implement the rule of law in Chechnya and to secure transparency on any information concerning the above abuses."