Введение
Британская Хельсинкская группа по правам человека (BHHRG) была неправительственной организацией, базировавшейся в Оксфорде, которая заявляла о мониторинге соблюдения прав человека в 56 государствах-участниках Организации по безопасности и сотрудничеству в Европе (ОБСЕ). Несмотря на название, организация не была аффилирована с Хельсинкским комитетом по правам человека. BHHRG критиковала то, что она расценивала как вмешательство Запада в процесс установления демократии, и утверждала, что поддерживает право на политическую независимость от Запада ряда коммунистических и посткоммунистических режимов, а также некоторых африканских диктаторов. Группа также использовала название OSCEwatch, подчеркивая, что частью её миссии являлся контроль за деятельностью ОБСЕ. Сайты OSCEwatch и BHHRG идентичны, и оба сайта открыто ссылаются друг на друга. В сентябре 2010 года Комиссия по благотворительности Великобритании исключила группу из своего реестра, указав, что она "прекратила своё существование".
Членство и финансирование
BHHRG была основана в 1992 году. Деятельность организации велась из оксфордского дома историка профессора Нормана Стоуна, который время от времени принимал участие в ее работе. Сооснователями BHHRG были его жена Кристина Стоун и коллега по Оксфордскому университету, историк Марк Алмонд (который также был ее председателем). В состав попечителей входили Марк Алмонд, Энтони Дэниелс (публикующийся в The Daily Telegraph под псевдонимом Теодор Далримпл), Джон Лаухланд, Кристин Стоун и Мэри Уолш. Алмонд, Дэниелс, Лаухланд и Стоун принадлежали к британской консервативной интеллигенции и регулярно сотрудничали с британскими газетами. С группой был связан также Чед Нейгл, американский юрист, часто публикующийся на сайте antiwar.com. Ноэль Малкольм, историк ранней Новой и Европы, писавший в 1990-х и начале 2000-х годов книги по истории Балкан, был включен в список основателей 1994 года и выступал от имени организации в 1999 году, но позднее, по всей видимости, покинул ее. BHHRG не являлась «официальным» Хельсинкским комитетом, поскольку не была аффилирована со зонтичной организацией Хельсинкских комитетов – Международной Хельсинкской федерацией (IHF). Представителем Великобритании в IHF был Британский Хельсинкский подкомитет Парламентской группы по правам человека, созданный в 1976 году. Это приводило к тому, что BHHRG ошибочно называли Британским Хельсинкским комитетом, что побудило Британский Хельсинкский подкомитет разместить на своем сайте следующее предупреждение:
"PLEASE NOTE that the so called British Helsinki Group is NOT affiliated with the IHF"
For its part, the BHHRG website said nothing on the subject. The membership, management and funding of the BHHRG were somewhat obscure. These aspects did not appear to be discussed at all on its website, and the details of its trustees were given only in its legally required returns to the UK's Charity Commission. Its published accounts stated that it received £417,332 in income between 1997–2003 and spent £449,086 in the same period. The organisation later appeared to fall on hard times, with its funding falling by nearly 99% after 2001. A possible reason was suggested by The Economist, which reported in 2004 that
"the group lost almost all its supporters when it threw its weight behind people like Mr Milošević." The identity of its backers was also unclear. Still with them in 1999, Noel Malcolm explained that the group does not disclose its donors
"for obvious reason[s]: they [critics] would then start to campaign [against the group] with the financial backers." Only a few contributors were known by name. Material that the BHHRG issued in 1992 cited the UKIP (then Tory) peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as donors. The BHHRG's "About Us" page stated that it "does not receive funding from any government" but, according to a Foreign Office source, it received money from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an election observer mission in 1995. The source said funding was cut off because they found the group prejudiced, partial and unreliable. It subsequently received no funding from this source and its advocates said this proved the group was independent of governments.
«ПОЖАЛУЙСТА, ОБРАТИТЕ ВНИМАНИЕ, что так называемая Британская Хельсинкская группа НЕ связана с IHF».
"PLEASE NOTE that the so called British Helsinki Group is NOT affiliated with the IHF"
For its part, the BHHRG website said nothing on the subject. The membership, management and funding of the BHHRG were somewhat obscure. These aspects did not appear to be discussed at all on its website, and the details of its trustees were given only in its legally required returns to the UK's Charity Commission. Its published accounts stated that it received £417,332 in income between 1997–2003 and spent £449,086 in the same period. The organisation later appeared to fall on hard times, with its funding falling by nearly 99% after 2001. A possible reason was suggested by The Economist, which reported in 2004 that
"the group lost almost all its supporters when it threw its weight behind people like Mr Milošević." The identity of its backers was also unclear. Still with them in 1999, Noel Malcolm explained that the group does not disclose its donors
"for obvious reason[s]: they [critics] would then start to campaign [against the group] with the financial backers." Only a few contributors were known by name. Material that the BHHRG issued in 1992 cited the UKIP (then Tory) peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as donors. The BHHRG's "About Us" page stated that it "does not receive funding from any government" but, according to a Foreign Office source, it received money from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an election observer mission in 1995. The source said funding was cut off because they found the group prejudiced, partial and unreliable. It subsequently received no funding from this source and its advocates said this proved the group was independent of governments.
Сам веб-сайт BHHRG ничего на эту тему не сообщал. Структура членства, управление и финансирование BHHRG оставались непрозрачными. Эти аспекты не обсуждались на сайте организации, а сведения о попечителях предоставлялись только в обязательных отчетах, подаваемых в Комиссию по благотворительности Великобритании. Согласно опубликованным отчетам, в период с 1997 по 2003 год организация получила доход в размере 417 332 фунтов стерлингов и потратила 449 086 фунтов стерлингов за тот же период. Позднее организация столкнулась с финансовыми трудностями, и ее финансирование после 2001 года сократилось почти на 99%. Возможную причину этого The Economist объяснила в 2004 году, сообщив, что
"PLEASE NOTE that the so called British Helsinki Group is NOT affiliated with the IHF"
For its part, the BHHRG website said nothing on the subject. The membership, management and funding of the BHHRG were somewhat obscure. These aspects did not appear to be discussed at all on its website, and the details of its trustees were given only in its legally required returns to the UK's Charity Commission. Its published accounts stated that it received £417,332 in income between 1997–2003 and spent £449,086 in the same period. The organisation later appeared to fall on hard times, with its funding falling by nearly 99% after 2001. A possible reason was suggested by The Economist, which reported in 2004 that
"the group lost almost all its supporters when it threw its weight behind people like Mr Milošević." The identity of its backers was also unclear. Still with them in 1999, Noel Malcolm explained that the group does not disclose its donors
"for obvious reason[s]: they [critics] would then start to campaign [against the group] with the financial backers." Only a few contributors were known by name. Material that the BHHRG issued in 1992 cited the UKIP (then Tory) peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as donors. The BHHRG's "About Us" page stated that it "does not receive funding from any government" but, according to a Foreign Office source, it received money from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an election observer mission in 1995. The source said funding was cut off because they found the group prejudiced, partial and unreliable. It subsequently received no funding from this source and its advocates said this proved the group was independent of governments.
«группа потеряла почти всех своих сторонников, когда поддержала таких людей, как господин Милошевич». Личности спонсоров организации также оставались неясными. Ноэль Малкольм, все еще сотрудничавший с группой в 1999 году, объяснил, что они не раскрывают имена своих доноров
"PLEASE NOTE that the so called British Helsinki Group is NOT affiliated with the IHF"
For its part, the BHHRG website said nothing on the subject. The membership, management and funding of the BHHRG were somewhat obscure. These aspects did not appear to be discussed at all on its website, and the details of its trustees were given only in its legally required returns to the UK's Charity Commission. Its published accounts stated that it received £417,332 in income between 1997–2003 and spent £449,086 in the same period. The organisation later appeared to fall on hard times, with its funding falling by nearly 99% after 2001. A possible reason was suggested by The Economist, which reported in 2004 that
"the group lost almost all its supporters when it threw its weight behind people like Mr Milošević." The identity of its backers was also unclear. Still with them in 1999, Noel Malcolm explained that the group does not disclose its donors
"for obvious reason[s]: they [critics] would then start to campaign [against the group] with the financial backers." Only a few contributors were known by name. Material that the BHHRG issued in 1992 cited the UKIP (then Tory) peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as donors. The BHHRG's "About Us" page stated that it "does not receive funding from any government" but, according to a Foreign Office source, it received money from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an election observer mission in 1995. The source said funding was cut off because they found the group prejudiced, partial and unreliable. It subsequently received no funding from this source and its advocates said this proved the group was independent of governments.
«по очевидным причинам: критики тогда начнут кампанию [против организации], обращаясь к ее финансовым спонсорам». Лишь несколько вкладчиков были известны по имени. В материалах, выпущенных BHHRG в 1992 году, в качестве доноров были указаны пэр UKIP (тогда тори) лорд Пирсон из Раннока и Фонд Дэвида и Люсиль Паккард. На странице «О нас» BHHRG утверждалось, что она «не получает финансирование от какого-либо правительства», однако, по данным источника из Министерства иностранных дел, в 1995 году организация получила средства от Министерства иностранных дел и по делам Содружества для проведения миссии наблюдателей за выборами. Источник сообщил, что финансирование было прекращено из-за предвзятости, необъективности и ненадежности организации. Впоследствии она не получала финансирование из этого источника, а ее сторонники утверждали, что это доказывает независимость организации от правительств.
"PLEASE NOTE that the so called British Helsinki Group is NOT affiliated with the IHF"
For its part, the BHHRG website said nothing on the subject. The membership, management and funding of the BHHRG were somewhat obscure. These aspects did not appear to be discussed at all on its website, and the details of its trustees were given only in its legally required returns to the UK's Charity Commission. Its published accounts stated that it received £417,332 in income between 1997–2003 and spent £449,086 in the same period. The organisation later appeared to fall on hard times, with its funding falling by nearly 99% after 2001. A possible reason was suggested by The Economist, which reported in 2004 that
"the group lost almost all its supporters when it threw its weight behind people like Mr Milošević." The identity of its backers was also unclear. Still with them in 1999, Noel Malcolm explained that the group does not disclose its donors
"for obvious reason[s]: they [critics] would then start to campaign [against the group] with the financial backers." Only a few contributors were known by name. Material that the BHHRG issued in 1992 cited the UKIP (then Tory) peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation as donors. The BHHRG's "About Us" page stated that it "does not receive funding from any government" but, according to a Foreign Office source, it received money from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an election observer mission in 1995. The source said funding was cut off because they found the group prejudiced, partial and unreliable. It subsequently received no funding from this source and its advocates said this proved the group was independent of governments.
Статьи других авторов о BHHRG
Заявление Международной Хельсинкской Федерации о статусе BHHRG. "«Хельсинки» не гарантируют приверженности правам человека", Greek Helsinki Monitor, 3 августа 1997 года. "Война наблюдателей", Джереми Дрюкер, журнал Transitions, 15 февраля 1999 года. Критика отчета 1999 года о рома в Чехии, сделанная сотрудником Европейского центра по правам ромов. "PR-специалист на службе самых одиозных режимов Европы", The Guardian (Великобритания), 30 ноября 2004 года. "Друзья Януковича: правозащитная группа, защищающая диктаторов", The Economist (Великобритания), 2 декабря 2004 года. "Что-то гниет на окраине либертарианского движения", Том Палмер, 11 декабря 2004 года.
criticism of 1999 report on Roma in Czech, by a member of the European Roma Rights Center. "PR man to Europe's nastiest regimes", The Guardian (UK), 30 November 2004. "Yanukovich's friends: A human rights group that defends dictators", The Economist (UK), 2 December 2004. "Something Is Rotting at the Periphery of the Libertarian Movement ", Tom Palmer, 11 December 2004.