Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2004: Russia

摘要

The 1993 Constitution established a governmental structure with a strong head of state (President), a government headed by a prime minister, and a bicameral legislature (Federal Assembly) consisting of a lower house (State Duma) and an upper house (Federation Council). The country has a multi-party system, but the pro presidential United Russia party that controls more than two thirds of the State Duma puts majority support within reach for all presidential priorities. President Vladimir Putin was re-elected in March in an election process that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) determined did not meet international standards in a number of respects, particularly in equal access to the media by all candidates and secrecy of the ballot$ however, the voting itself was relatively free of manipulation and the outcome was generally understood to have represented the will of the people. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), the Federal Security Service (FSB), and the Office of the Prosecutor are responsible for law enforcement at all levels of Government. The country had a population of approximately 144 million. Although the Government generally respected the human rights of its citizens in some areas, its human rights record was poor in certain areas and worsened in several others.