[JURIST] The Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) [official website] called on Russia [JURIST news archive] to deal with allegations of torture and abuse in the volatile Chechnya [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] region in a record third public statement [text, PDF; press release] released Monday. The CPT previously issued public statements denouncing conditions in Russia in 2001 and 2003. Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis [official profile] called [statement, text] on the Russian government to immediately comply with the CPT's recommendations. Reuters has more.

Council of Europe [official website] Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg [official profile] alleged [JURIST report] during a visit to the region in February that officials in Chechnya routinely use electrical shocks, forced confessions, and other forms of torture.