|
|
The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (RATS SCO)Chairman – Abdullo Nazarov, a deputy director of the State committee of National Security of Tajikistan (since September 2007) Besides Russia and China, SCO’s other members are Central Asian states: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizia and Kazakhstan. Joint struggle with terrorism, separatism and extremism is considered to be one of the main SCO purposes. In 2004 RATS was created especially for the mentioned purposes; actually it was formed for coordinating the actions of mutual giving up the suspects. Its main objective is helping special services of the states-members to bypass the obstacles presented by national legislations and by the norms of the international law about giving up the suspects. The Regional anti-terrorist structure (RATS) is permanent acting agency of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), officially launched in January 2004. Its main function is to coordinate SCO member activities against terrorism, separatism and extremism. The RATS is composed of the Council and the Executive Committee.The Council, a decision-making and leading body of RATS, is composed of leading officials of the competent authorities of the member states. Director of the Executive Committee, which is RATS' routine executive body, is appointed by the Council of Heads of State. The topic of struggle against terrorism turned out to be a very convenient pretext for simplification of procedure of detention and giving up people. According to our information, RATS SCO is engaged in making its own parallel structure that can be used instead of official extradition. Cooperation between the special services and enforcing bodies is done through placement of direct requests of assistance. A request includes the name of an enforcing body, a purpose and justification, and a description of the action required, e.g. detention and passing a person. The request is signed by the head, or his deputy, of the central authorized body, i.e. the local special service. In urgent cases the request may be passed in oral way. To make the new system work properly, RATS began to form the common data bank on the wanted terrorists, separatists and extremists. SCO managed to provide absolute protection to its representatives. The Convention on Privileges and Immunities of SCO, ratified by Russia in 2005, equalized the representatives of the SCO structures to diplomats. They are not subjects to criminal liability for any actions committed by them on their duty, they have immunity from arrest, detention etc. Same unlimited opportunities are given to “experts” executing commissions by SCO. They have immunity from arrest for the period of their service trips and their baggage cannot be searched through. Significantly, their immunity is prolonged with them even after their service trip is over. The premises of RATS SCO are also protected against any intrusion. The Convention secures that no representatives of authorities can enter an RATS place without consent given by its director. The RATS property also has immunity from any interference, including the means of transportation and all the documents, regardless of location. Agentura.Ru 2010 |
||||
|
|
