Public activist released from captivity in Chechnya
Interfax.
Thursday, Jan. 9, 2003, 9:35 PM Moscow Time
PYATIGORSK. Jan 9 (Interfax-South) - Nina Davydovich, head of the public
organization Druzhba [Friendship], has been released after nearly six months
in captivity in Chechnya. Oleg Dukanov, chief of the Federal Security
Service (FSB) in the Stavropol region, made this announcement at a press
conference in Pyatigorsk on Thursday.
During the press conference, in which Davydovich herself took part, the former
hostage reported that originally, the abductors demanded $1 million for her
release. "From conversations with the abductors, I realized that they had
been hunting for me purposefully for a month, as they expected international
organizations to pay ransom for me," said Davydovich. A bit later, ransom
was slashed to $300,000. The FSB secured Davydovich's release at night on
January 7 during a special raid assisted by officers from General Lebed's
peacekeeping force in the North Caucasus. The peacekeepers' commander Alexander
Mukomolov said that the release took place without the exchange of any ransom.
The ex-hostage described her five-and-a-half months in captivity as unbearable.
She was kept in a pit, chained by her leg, fed once a day and with the advent
of winter, her constant hunger was worsened by the cold. "I survived by a
miracle," said Davydovich. A 57-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, Davydovich
was kidnapped on July 23, 2002 in Chechnya's Goragorsky village. Druzhba
dealt with various issues concerning Chechen refugees in Ingushetia and with
drawing up educational programs for Chechen children.