Provisional edition
Need for international condemnation of
crimes of totalitarian communist regimes
Resolution 1481 (2006)1
1. The
Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution
1096 (1996) on measures to dismantle the heritage of the
former communist totalitarian systems.
2. The
totalitarian communist regimes which ruled in Central
and Eastern Europe in the last century, and which are still
in power in several countries in the world, have been,
without exception, characterised by massive violations of
human rights. The violations have differed depending on the
culture, country and the historical period and have included
individual and collective assassinations and executions,
death in concentration camps, starvation, deportations,
torture, slave labour and other forms of mass physical
terror, persecution on ethnic or religious base, violation
of freedom of conscience, thought and expression, of freedom
of press, and also lack of political pluralism.
3. The
crimes were justified in the name of the class struggle
theory and the principle of dictatorship of the proletariat.
The interpretation of both principles legitimised the
“elimination” of people who were considered harmful to the
construction of a new society and, as such, enemies of the
totalitarian communist regimes. A vast number of victims in
every country concerned were its own nationals. It was the
case particularly of peoples of the former USSR who by far
outnumbered other peoples in terms of the number of victims.
4. The
Assembly recognises that, in spite of the crimes of
totalitarian communist regimes, some European communist
parties have made contributions to achieving democracy.
5. The
fall of totalitarian communist regimes in Central and
Eastern Europe has not been followed in all cases by an
international investigation of the crimes committed by them.
Moreover, the authors of these crimes have not been brought
to trial by the international community, as was the case
with the horrible crimes committed by National Socialism
(nazism).
6.
Consequently, public awareness of crimes committed by
totalitarian communist regimes is very poor. Communist
parties are legal and active in some countries, even if in
some cases they have not distanced themselves from the
crimes committed by totalitarian communist regimes in the
past.
7. The
Assembly is convinced that the awareness of history is one
of the preconditions for avoiding similar crimes in the
future. Furthermore, moral assessment and condemnation of
crimes committed play an important role in the education of
young generations. The clear position of the international
community on the past may be a reference for their future
actions.
8.
Moreover, the Assembly believes that those victims of crimes
committed by totalitarian communist regimes who are
still alive or their families, deserve sympathy,
understanding and recognition for their sufferings.
9.
Totalitarian communist regimes are still active in
some countries of the world and crimes continue to be
committed. National interest perceptions should not prevent
countries from adequate criticism of present totalitarian
communist regimes. The Assembly strongly condemns all
those violations of human rights.
10. The
debates and condemnations which have taken place so far at
national level in some Council of Europe member states
cannot give dispensation to the international community from
taking a clear position on the crimes committed by the
totalitarian communist regimes. It has a moral
obligation to do so without any further delay.
11. The
Council of Europe is well placed for such a debate at
international level. All former European communist
countries, with the exception of Belarus, are now its
members and the protection of human rights and the rule of
law are basic values for which it stands.
12.
Therefore, the Parliamentary Assembly strongly condemns the
massive human rights violations committed by the
totalitarian communist regimes and expresses
sympathy, understanding and recognition
to the victims of these crimes.
13.
Furthermore, it calls on all communist or post-communist
parties in its member states which have not so far done so
to reassess the history of communism and their own past,
clearly distance themselves from the crimes committed by
totalitarian communist regimes and condemn them
without any ambiguity.
14. The
Assembly believes that this clear position of the
international community will pave the way to further
reconciliation. Furthermore, it will hopefully encourage
historians throughout the world to continue their research
aimed at the determination and objective verification of
what took place.
1 Assembly debate on 25
January 2006 (5th Sitting) (see Doc.10765,
report of the Political Affairs Committee, rapporteur: Mr
Lindblad ). Text adopted by the Assembly on 25
January 2006 (5th Sitting).
.gif){kind=spacer}
