The European Parliament gave overwhelming backing to the EP's 2006 annual report on Human Rights in the World.

The 2006 report assesses the human rights activities of the Commission and the Council -- and the overall performance of the Parliament in this field. It focuses on EU policies with respect to human rights offenders, submits criticism of EU actions and makes concrete policy recommendations.

The House also reserves strong criticism for the Russian government, "regretting" that the EU has had "only limited success in bringing about policy change as a result of raising difficult issues" -- such as the situation in Chechnya, the treatment of human rights defenders, and freedom of expression.

The report goes on to "deplore Russian legislation limiting the activities of NGOs", as well as the fact "that journalists and human rights defenders have been threatened".

It remains "appalled" at the murder of Anna Politkowskaja" and is concerned about allegations of Russian involvement in the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and of the mistreatment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky while in detention.

The Parliament "urges the Commission and Council to raise such cases with the Russian authorities at the highest level and in the new PCA with Russia".