§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking bilaterally and multilaterally to seek reassurance that displaced Chechen people in Ingushetia will not be forced by direct or indirect pressure to return to Chechnya against their will and that all resettlement in Chechnya is genuinely voluntary. [HL4753]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanWe have not made any recent representations to the Russian authorities about the humanitarian situation in Ingushetia. Our bilateral discussions have instead focused on allegations of human rights violations in Chechnya. We have, however, supported and helped draft an EU demarche to the Russian Government stressing that any return of IDPs from Ingushetia to Chechnya must be fully voluntary and expressed doubt that this is currently realistic given the lack of basic amenities and security guarantees.