25 November 2003, 22:23
2,600 people in seven cities signed an appeal demanding decent life for disabled children
Over 2,600 signatures under an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin were collected during the action "For Full and Decent Life" arranged on 20 November 2003, Universal Children's Day, by members and supporters of Amnesty International in Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Petrozavodsk, Rostov-on-Don, Stavropol, and Tomsk and on 17 November - in Vladimir.
The action was aimed at drawing attention of the public to the state of children with mental disabilities, who are treated with no respect for their rights, and to urge the President to assist in providing the fulfillment of all fundamental rights of these children.
According to data of non-government organizations, there are 155 internats (state orphanages) administered by the Ministry of Labor in the Russian Federation which are home to around 29,000 children with mental disabilities.
Amnesty International pointed in its report "Rough Justice: The Law and Human Rights in the Russian Federation" presented in October 2003 that children with mental disabilities in the internats administered by the Russian Ministry of Labor are treated with no respect for their rights.
Source: REGNUM News Agency
