Russia Notes Risk of Unfair Competition in Human Rights Observance Ratings

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that he cannot agree with the idea of supranational control over the work of campaigns and international ratings of human rights observance by some companies.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia fears the international ratings on human rights observance suggested by several countries to carry a risk of unfair competition, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

"Certain countries would like to introduce some sort of supranational control [over the work of campaigns] and would like to adjust the information of international ratings of human rights observance by some companies. We believe that there is a very high risk here of unfair competition and cannot agree with this," Lavrov said during a business council meeting under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The foreign minister added that every state has to independently determine measures, stages and criteria for the implementation of the recommendations included in the UN guidelines depending on the country's economic, social and cultural characteristics.

Russia has been long criticized for alleged human rights violations by foreign governments and advocacy groups, particularly after the adoption of a 2013 law prohibiting minors from being exposed to materials promoting nontraditional sexual relationships.