Russian rights activists call Paris attacks challenge to civilization
MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax) - Leading Russian human rights activists have strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in France and called for stepping up international cooperation against terrorism.
"This is a challenge to civilization," Lev Ponomaryov, the leader of the group For Human Rights, told Interfax on Saturday.
According to the latest available information cited by French television, 127 people were killed and 180 others injured in a series of terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday night, and 80 of the injured are in critical condition. Other media earlier claimed that the number of fatalities exceeded 150.
"It's time to talk about a joint front and society's consolidation against this horrible threat," Ponomaryov said.
Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the Civil Assistance committee, said to Interfax, "What happened in Paris is monstrous."
"States have started bickering about some petty things, reproaching each other, and getting offended like teenagers. But we are facing a most serious danger of physical and moral annihilation. I mean ISIL. And it is the Islamic countries that should primarily stand up against terrorism," Gannushkina said.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Ella Pamfilova offered her condolences on the terrorist attacks in Paris.
"This is a horrible tragedy not only to the families of the dead but also to all French people. Unfortunately, Russia has repeatedly been through such tragedies and hardships they involve, and therefore we deeply empathize with and feel sincere compassion for all of the French people in these hard days," Pamfilova said in a statement posted on her official website.
