[JURIST] The Russian Foreign Ministry [official website in Russian] responded Wednesday to American criticisms of Russia's human rights record in the recent 2004 US State Department human rights reports [text] by accusing the US of double standards. The State Department reports, released Monday [JURIST report], had cited Russian law enforcement for its use of torture, violence, and other degrading or humiliating treatment, and had also pointed to press restrictions, police corruption, and recent election shortcomings. A Foreign Ministry statement said the US should look to its own human rights violations and cited the Iraqi detainee abuses, racial discrimination, and presidential electoral disputes. AP has more.