| 2005-01-14
11:08 Russia does its best to protect human rights in Chechnya, says Russian defence minister NEW YORK, January 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia does its best to protect human rights in Chechnya, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told the New York-based United States Council on Foreign Relations, a non-governmental organization. "I am fully authorized to say that we not only have all information concerning rule of law and human rights in Chechnya, but also take all measures necessary to improve it on the regional as well as federal level," the Russian Defense Minister said. He said all human rights violations, including those revealed in the course of the counter terrorist operation, were being thoroughly investigated, and those who have committed crimes are punished in full compliance with the Russian legislation. "In the past years, dozens of military servicepersons have been convicted by court for various crimes, many of which were committed against the civilian population of Chechnya. The fact that the number of crimes has dropped of late is explained by the mere fact that the war is over," he said. At the same time, he noted, the Russian Defense Ministry has information about 150 to 200 foreign mercenaries active in Chechnya. "Suffice it to say, mercenaries from over 50 states participated and were eliminated in the counter terrorist operation area in Chechnya. We have information about 150 to 200 foreign mercenaries active in Chechnya. Most [mercenaries that we know of] have been recruited in Turkey, a NATO member state," the Russian official said. He said dozens of Turkish citizens had been eliminated in fighting against militant groups. "I would like to use this opportunity to state once again, firmly and unequivocally: Russia has never and will never hold any talks and keep any contacts with terrorists. Hopefully, our NATO partners will stick to the same principles, rather than providing asylum to notorious people, as it was in Britain and the United States," the minister said. Special operations are going on all over Ingushetia. People in fear (tr. by M.L.) Ingushetia ru.15.01.2005 00:04 Searches and military checkings are being conducted in the last 2-3 days in the entire republic. On 13 January searches were conducted in the old part of city of Malgobek (Kartofelnyi district), in the Cossack village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya, in the village of Zyazikov-Yurt of the Malgobek district. On 14 January searches in the Cossack village of Troitskaya of the Sunzhen district, in the villages Nizniye, Sredniye and Verkhniye Achaluki of the Malgobek district and also in Nazran took place. Two thousand more soldiers of internal troops and armament already several days ago have been moved additionally to the existing forces in the republic, to conduct special operations there. The stationary checkpoint of police on the border of Ingushetia with Kabardino-Balkaria (crossroad of routes near the village of Khurikau), where together the policemen of MVD of Ingushetia and North Ossetia have been stationing, was re-inforced by eighty spetsnaz troopers from Astrakhan in January the 12th. The population has been intimidated by these active operation of siloviki structures. Old residents compare these actions with the year of 1944. People Leave Highland Settlements in Chechnya In Chechnya, people have no longer felt themselves safe. Being banished by Rusian occupiers and saving their lives from unavoidable death, people have to leave the erstwhile more a less peaceful mountainous regions of CRI. The inhabitants of the following settlements have altogether left their homes: Verkhni Kyurchala; Sredni Kyurchala; Nizhni Kyurchala; Shirdi-Mokhk; Belgate; Tsontary; Teza-Kala: Jani-Vadan; Gesenchu; Khashki-Mokhk: Gordala (Nozhai-Yuritovski region), as Chechen press-service informs. The following inhabited localities are practically devastated: Usam-Kotar; Gyura-In (Kourchalovski region): Zony; Regakhoi: Yaryshmardy and others (Shatoiski region); Verkhni Bamut; Sredni bamut: Nizhni Bamut; Ashkho-Kotar; Yandi-Kotar; Sodi-Kotar (Achkhoi-Martanovski region). Massive ordnance terror, fire from various weapons, periodically performed by Russian occupiers in highland Chechen settlements make people to leave their homes and possessions and to come down to the valley for safety reasons. Some highland localitiesÒ‘ live even in tents. But there are few people, who can find shelter even in Chechen valleys without temporary registration, which naturally causes a lot of problems. Total terror, purposefully performed by Moscow under complete disregard of the so-called international community, takes daily several decades of lives in Chechnya. General losses of people in Chechnya have made from 250 to 260 thousand peaceful citizens, and among them, at least 42 thousand children, younger than 11. At the same time, western governments and some mass media boil over when civil persons perish on Russia territory. Kavkaz Center 2005-01-16 Jan 14 2005 11:08AM Red Cross official missing in Grozny GROZNY. Jan 14 (Interfax) - A member of the Grozny office of the International Committee of the Red Cross has disappeared in Chechnya, sources in the republic's law enforcement agencies told Interfax. Red Cross official Said-Khusein Deniyev and another two unknown people left the organization's office in Grozny's Leninsky district and disappeared on January 13. A search for them is in progress, one of the sources said. Senior Chechen law enforcement officials could not be reached for comment. Jan 16 2005 12:28PM Missing Red Cross worker found in Chechnya MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) - A worker of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Sayid-Hussein Deniyev, who went missing in Chechnya on January 13, 2004, has been found. "Deniyev's relatives called us on Saturday evening and told us he had returned home. We were happy to learn that he is back home and feels well," Anastasiya Isyuk, spokesman for the ICRC's Moscow office, told Interfax on Sunday. She declined to comment on where and how Deniyev, a worker of the ICRC's office in Grozny, had been found, noting that the ICRC had remained in touch with the authorities and Deniyev's family since he disappeared. Deniyev left the office in Grozny's Leninsky district at about 4 p.m., Moscow time, on Thursday, accompanied by two unidentified persons. He had not been seen ever since. Chechen Prosecutor Alexander Nikitin earlier told Interfax that Deniyev is being sought for. Chechen State Council Chairman Taus Dzhabrailov said on Friday that the law enforcement agencies are doing everything possible to find Deniyev. The ICRC reported that Deniyev has been working with the ICRC's office in Grozny for over four years. He is married and has four children. Meanwhile, the fate of another worker of the ICRC's Chechen office, Usman Saidaliyev, remains unknown. Saidaliyev went missing in Chechnya in August, 2003. The case of Zelimkhan Murdalov AMNESTY, January/February 2005 The magazine of Amnesty International UK RUSSIAN FEDERATION Continued international pressure is needed to achieve justice for Zelimkhan Murdalov (Amnesty, May 2003), who "disappeared" from his home in Grozny, Chechnya, in 2001. In February 2002, Sergei Lapin was arrested in connection with the "disappearance". His trial was repeatedly postponed, but it finally began in October 2003, thanks to the persistence of Zelimkhan Murdalov's father [pictured] and thousands of letters to President Vladimir Putin from AI members all over the world, calling for a fair and independent trial. Now there is a danger that the case may be closed. Many cases of human rights violations in Chechnya never make it to court, allegedly for "lack of evidence". Meanwhile, the mother and sister of Zelimkhan Murdalov have left the country following threats by members of the Russian federal and Chechen forces that they would "disappear" as well. Please continue to send appeals – they really do make a difference. Write to: Procurator General of the Russian Federation Generalnaia Prokuratura Rossiiskoi Federatsii Ul. B. Dimitrovka, d15a, 103793 Moskva K-31 Russian Federation Salutation: Dear Procurator General |