Amnesty International welcomes the decision of Denmark's Justice Ministry
to release Chechen envoy Akhmed Zakayev for lack of evidence. "Given the
widespread use of torture and ill-treatment in the Russian penitentiary system,
there were good reasons to fear for Akhmed Zakayev's physical safety were
he to have been sent back to Russia. Moreover, in view of the massive publicity
around this case and the inadequacies of the Russian justice system, there
was very little chance that Akhmed Zakayev would have been given a fair trial
in the Russian Federation," the organization said.
Akhmed Zakayev was detained in Denmark on 30 October 2002 following an extradition
request from the Russian authorities for alleged crimes he committed in the
period between the two armed conflicts in the Chechen Republic (1996-1999).
The Danish Justice Ministry said it had not received sufficient evidence
from the Russian authorities which would justify the extradition of Akhmed
Zakayev.
Amnesty International had called on the Danish authorities to ensure that
Akhmed Zakayev was not extradited without firm guarantees that his rights
would be respected. The continuing conflict puts the rights of all Chechens
under threat. Russian non-governmental organizations have pointed to the
fate of two high-ranking officials from the previous Chechen administration,
who were detained by the Russian authorities - one of them died in prison,
the other disappeared after detention.
Background
Akhmed Zakayev, an envoy of the Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov, was arrested
in Copenhagen where he was attending the World Chechen Congress. The Congress,
planned well in advance, took place in the wake of the hostage-taking incident
in a Moscow theatre, which left some 150 people dead.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened last month to boycott an EU-Russia
summit in Copenhagen in protest against Denmark's decision to allow the Chechen
conference to take place, and the venue was moved to Brussels.
For further information contact the Russia Campaign Press Officer Lydia Aroyo
on +44 20 7413 5599 or +44 7798 555 629, e-mail: laroyo@amnesty.org; or the
Russia Campaign Researcher Kim Wiesener on +44 20 7413 5618.
Visit the Amnesty International Russia Campaign website: http://www.amnesty.org/russia