| Beslan Residents Block Major Highway,
Demand Top Official's Resignation Created: 20.01.2005 16:04 MSK (GMT +3), MosNews Residents of southern Russia's Beslan, still recovering from a hostage crisis that killed at least 330 people, half of them children, have blocked a major national thoroughfare demanding the resignation of North Ossetia's president, Alexander Dzasokhov. Police have surrounded the rally, so journalists reporting for Radio Liberty were unable to tell how many people were involved. The radio station reported, however, that the demonstration had blocked the Rostov-Baku highway that connects southern Russia with Azerbaijan. The demonstrators are calling for an international investigation into the September tragedy. FSB Raids the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society 20 January, 2005, Vienna .On January 20, 2005 in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service (FSB) removed a number of documents from the office of the Russian–Chechen Friendship Society, a particularly active local human rights group that provides daily press-releases on the human rights situation and humanitarian assistance in the Chechen Republic. The human rights defenders are faced with a criminal case. “This raid is part of an increasingly destructive pattern of intimidating the human rights community is seeking justice and peace in Chechnya,†according to Aaron Rhodes, director of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF). The group received the 2004 Recognition Award of the IHF, which said: “Your work on behalf of victims and to promote tolerance and peace reflects the transcendent values of our civilization. It evokes feelings of solidarity and sympathy more powerful than hatred, fear and revengeâ€. Details: On January 20, 2005, Stanislav Dmitrievsky, Co-Chair of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society and Chief Editor of the Human Rights Defense newspaper was requested to come to the office of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional FSB Department at 2pm. The invitation was made over the phone. Dmitrievsky was told that the FSB wanted to discuss several articles published by the Human Rights Defense newspaper in 2004. He was also informed that a criminal case was initiated in connection with the said publications, and he was called to give a witness statement within the framework of that case. Even though this was not an official summon, Dmitrievsky chose to abide by the FSB request in order to avoid potential complications. At the Nizhny Novgorod Regional FSB Department he was received by Putanov, senior investigator of the FSB on particularly serious cases. Putanov refused to tell Dmitrievsky on which article of the Russian Criminal Code the case was actually initiated. He did not provide any information as to the essence of the case. He directly proceeded to asking questions with regard to two statements by Chechen separatists leaders published in the Human Rights Defense newspaper, namely, Akhmed Zakaev’s call to the Russian people not to vote for Vladimir Putin in the presidential elections and Aslan Maskhadov’s call for peace addressed to the European Parliament. Putanov also inquired whether Dmitrievsky was familiar with the restrictions imposed on activities in the sphere of information and media by the relevant Russian legislation. Dmitrievsky replied that he was indeed aware that Russian legislation in this sphere bans war propaganda as well as propaganda of ethnic or religious hostility. In response Putanov asked whether Dmitrievsky would agree that the given publications fell within that particular category. Then, he presented Dmitrievsky with a warrant for seizure of the newspaper’s registration documents and suggested that Dmitrievsky accompany the FSB staff to the Russian Chechen Friendship Society Office to be present at the seizure. The procedure started in the presence of witnesses at 5pm on 20 January. The FSB seized the newspaper statute, registration documents, internal regulations, and labour contracts with the personnel of the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society Information Unit responsible for the publications of the newspaper and the daily news releases in the Internet, including their correspondents in the Chechen Republic. The Human Rights Defense newspaper was founded by the Nizhny Novgorod Human Rights Society and is published based on a cooperation agreement between the Nizhny Novgorod Human Rights Society and the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society. The newspaper is mainly devoted to the situation in and around Chechnya, with a special emphasis on the human rights component. It is widely disseminated in Nizhny Novgorod and in the Chechen Republic. Conclusion: The IHF is deeply concerned about persecutions of human rights defenders who report to the international community on the human rights situation in Chechnya. The seizure of documents from the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society followed soon after the January 13 illegal FSB armed search of the offices of the Council of Non-governmental Organizations (SNO) in Nazran, Ingushetia (http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4009). A pattern of repression against human rights defenders is evident and calls for a strong reaction by the international community. For further information: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights In Vienna: Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director, +43 – 1 – 408 88 22 or +43 - 676 – 635 66 12; Henriette Schroeder, IHF Press Officer, +43 – 676 – 725 48 29 In Mosocw: Tanya Lokshina, +7-916 – 624 19 06 Russian-Chechen Friendship Society, Stanislav Dmitrievsky, Oksana Chelysheva, +7-8312-17 1666 __________________________________________ Joachim Frank, Project Coordinator International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Wickenburggasse 14/7 A-1080 Vienna Tel. +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 22 Fax: +43-1-408 88 22 ext. 50 Web: http://www.ihf-hr.org ______________________________________ http://www.ingushetiya.ru/news/4638.htm (tr. by M.L.) They kidnap in Ingushetia and and kill in Chechnya. Usual practice of "death squads". Ingushetiya.Ru, 20.01.2005 16:06 The information center of The Russian- Chechen Friendship Society; (IC RCFS) reported to polit ru about the next "extrajudiciary execution" in the Achkhoy-Martan district of Chechnya. According to the article yesterday, the workers of local ROVD were conducting operational- investigation measures in the forest belt next to the federal auto-route of Rostov-Baku, not far from a bridge across the Assa river. In the morning there, it was discovered a corpse of man in camouflage uniform, who died from bullet wounds, and a deserted Zhiguli car. One more man gave statement in ROVD; according to him, the day before, at night in the forest belt near the bridge, he with one more person was shot by one of the federal siloviki ministries. He was able to escape, his comrade was less lucky and was killed. The identity of rescued person has been not revealed. For the correspondent of the IC RCFS it was possible preliminarily to establish that late evening, on 18 January, the representatives of one of the federal siloviki structures, supposedly GRU, from the territory of Ingushetia, took to Chechnya by force two unarmed men, dressed in camouflage uniform. By the bridge, the siloviki turned to the forest belt and took out their prisoners from their automobile. Those understood that they were going to be executed and attempted to flee. For one it was possible to escape and hide, the second one was shot down and passed away on the spot of the incident. In this case in the IC RCFS they note that the information is so far incomplete and more details have to be collected. Right now the Society doesn't have information who these prisoners were, had been they abducted or detained. However, it's been asserted that they were local residents and were not participants of the illegal armed units. "To stop the destruction of the Chechen people!" An appeal to the parliaments and the heads of the states, the countries - members of the OSCE From international legal organizations, Chechen societies and social agencies We, representatives of the Chechen people organized in social agencies in the territory of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria and in many countries of the world, are authorized to declare: During last ten years right before the whole "civilized" world the Russian army, in infringement of the Russian-Chechen contract of 1997 signed by presidents A. Mashadov and B. Yeltsin, perfidiously having intruded the boarders of the democratic state - the Chechen Republic Ichkeria - kills, rapes, tortures and cripples civilians of our country, without analysis of age and a sex. During al these bloody years the barbarous murder of people is carried out by the Kremlin with application of all kinds of the modern weapon, including novelties of the nuclear weapon, napalm and OV. The Chechen people in result of the Yeltsin-Putin's genocide have had incalculable losses - more than 250 thousands of our citizens, including 42 thousands of children are killed, almost the same quantity of children has become cripples. Chechens are pursued by the ethnic tag almost in all countries of the former USSR under the unprecedented pressing of the Kremlin. Peace people are driven out from their dwellings; tortures, mockeries, violation of honor and self-respect are applied against them. The stream of refugees from the CR-Ichkeria does not stop, the number of the compelled by the occupational authorities to leave the Republic grows promptly, and all these people, overcoming the cordons erected by the invaders, heads, mostly, for the West. The war of Russia against Chechnya is a terrorist war, a war of genocide, having the purpose the total destruction of civilians, not agreed with the occupational regime. The Kremlin, in such a way, tries to eradicate the spirit of independence at those, who are left alive, so that they would refuse the independence of the state, the decisions made by the Government of the CR-Ichkeria on reconstruction of the Chechen statehood in 1991. After the disintegration of the Russian empire - the USSR in December, 1991, the Chechen people in full conformity with the principles of the modern international law, finished the reconstruction of the statehood by passing of the Constitution of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria on March, 1992. The Kremlin in every possible way interfered with the announcement of the independence of the Chechen state in pathological aspiration to reanimate the Russian empire. Not having achieved its aims on the basis of democratic procedures, the State Duma of the Russian Federation by a the strong-willed decision declared the Chechen Republic to be a part of Russia, contrary to the will of the Chechen people, and also in infringement of the legislation of the country and the international law. The Kremlin management tries to justify its actions against the Chechen Republic Ichkeria by the tired traditional and thought up again labels, - “arranging of the constitutional order in the Chechen republic", " struggle against gangsterism", "struggle against the international Islamic terrorism” and so on. We confirm, as it is said in the Chechen Constitution, that the Chechen Republic Ichkeria, its people and the government firmly adhered the principles of construction of a peace democratic state; we do not refuse it today as well, and we are going to follow this in the future with the whole complexity of the situation. At the same time we know, that "the radical Islam" was purposefully encouraged with the Kremlin through its agency in Chechnya for realization of the military and political adventures. And we know it better than anybody, that it ("the radical Islam" together with "religious extremism") could not get accustomed in our people, as it did not get accustomed in days of imam Shamil. The steady natural democratic mentality is characteristic to the Chechen people, and, as the history has shown, it does not accept a throwing to this or the other side. Our people have chosen the way and show the unshakable hardness in upholding of the independent democratic state to the whole world. We call peoples and countries of the world to interfere in every possible way the aggression of the RF-Russia against the Chechen Republic Ichkeria at the international level. The inactivity of the international community in the problem of protection of human rights and protection of the right of the Chechen people for self-defense causes an extreme regret in us! The declarative applications and resolutions of the United Nations on human rights, the European Parliament, the PASS and the OSCE, which practically remain a dead letter, dooming Chechen people on unequal alone struggle with the misanthropic Putin's regime, is not completely enough. The policy of the West on concealment of the judicial documents about the facts of the reconstruction of the statehood of the Chechen people in 1992 on the basis of the modern international law from the public causes bewilderment! This is a blatant injustice concerning the Chechen people; it cannot remain a secret for the world! Today the West and the rest of the world indifferently watch how the RF-Russia, having transformed Chechnya into a closed zone, destroys the whole people! How they, step by step, yield to the complaints of the RF-Russia about non-admission of the humanitarian help to the population, non-admission of the international observers and independent journalists from other countries! As it is underlined in the Application of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria, the PASS is engaged with illegal retraction of the occupied by the Russian armies CR-Ichkeria in the structure of the RF-Russia, it actually operates on the side of the aggressor. It cannot be accepted by us differently, but as a partnership in genocide of our people. In this connection we make the resolute protest on behalf of all Chechen people to the international organization - the PASS. We call to name and resolutely to discharge those diplomats, who block the valid right of the Chechen people in the international organizations. We also support the organization of the "Round tables" of the Chechen-Russian problem in a neutral territory, but not in Moscow . The problems of the war and peace between the two contending parties – the authority of the CHR-Ichkeria and the authority of the RF-Russia should be discussed at these meetings. The attempts of the Kremlin, and now of the PASS as well, to reduce everything to the ostensibly intra-Chechen problem is not simply a mistake, this is a crime against democracy, against freedom! We call the legal organizations of the western countries not to admit tyranny concerning the Chechen people at the international level, to put pressure upon the PASS so that it would return to its direct purpose of the examination of attitudes between the CR-Ichkeria and the RF-Russia, return to the Right. We declare about our support of the Application of the Parliament of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria of December, 7, 2004 , in the United Nations Organization with an appeal of urgent convocation of the Security Council of the United Nations for discussion of the state of emergency of the Chechen people. We call the Parliaments and the Heads of the states, the countries - members of the OSCE, to support the Application of the Chechen Parliament and to take immediate measures on the termination of genocide of the Chechen people from the side of the RF-Russia, a member of the OSCE, to arrange relieving of the territory of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria of the aggressor. 1. The Assembly of Protection of the Sovereignty of the CR-Ichkeria: A.Sardalov 2. The World Fund of Chechens - "Noi": A.Malsagov 3. The Society of Prisoners of Filtration Camps: V.Banzhaev 4. The Chechen Society in Austria : M.Dashaev 5. The Chechen Society "Bart" in Poland : H.Aslanbekov 6. The Chechen Society in Germany : K.Ahmiev 7. The Chechen Society in France : H.Tsuskaev 8. The International Association "The World and Human Rights": S-A. Ibragimov 9. The Chechen Society in Norway : M.Hatsiev 10. The Chechen Society in Spain : M.Temishev 11. The Society of Chechen-German Friendship "Chechenland": SH.Masaev 12. The society “The Chechen Association in Germany ”: M.Imakaev 13. The Association of Chechens in Germany : R.Sugaipov 14. The Society of Chechens in Greece : S.Nuraliev 15. The Danish Society of Chechens: R.Jusupov 16. The Chechen Community in Lithuania : S.Hachukaev 17. The Society of Protection of the CR-Ichkeria: H.Barzuev 18. The Chechen Society "Malh" in Denmark 19. The Chechen Community in Clermont-Ferrand ( France ): A.Hatsiev 20. The Chechen Community in On ( France ): R.Soslanbekov 21. The Chechen Community in the USA : H.Ozgan 22. The Chechen Community in Turkey : E.Magomadov 23. The Chechen Community in Britone (France): A.Shovhalov 24. The Chechen Community of Lvov ( Ukraine ): H.Dzhabrailov 25. The Community of Chechens in Azerbaijan : O.Arsanukaev 26. The Society "Chechens in Italy ": Z.Kurbanov 27. The Society of Chechens in the Great Britain : L.Raduev 28. The Society "Chechens in Estonia ": I.Ahaev 29. The Society of Chechens in Czechia: H.Ahmadov 30 The Society "Refugees in Georgia ": H.Dzhanchuraev 31. The Social agency "Sintem": U.Bamatgiriev 32. The Belgian Society "Shatoi": D.Ahmadov 33. The international Committee of Protection of Human Rights in the CR-Ichkeria: G.Shovhalov 34. The Association "Ehort", France: A.Vagapov Chechenpress, 21.01.05 Renowned Chechen lawyer abducted in Grozny Timur Aliyev, North Caucasus - On January 20 the lawyer and human rights activist Magomed Magomadov was abducted in Grozny. Magomadov was driving his car along Grozny"s Staropromyslovsky Highway towards the village of 15th Molsovkhoz. After he stopped in the neighbourhood of the Elektropribor factory on the outskirts of the city, at approximately 7pm his parked car was surrounded by several vehicles. Armed men in camouflage got out of the vehicles and, threatening Magomadov with their weapons, took him away with them. It is supposed by the human rights activist"s relatives and colleagues that the abduction was carried out by 'Kadyrovites', who probably took him to Tsentoroi. Magomed Magomadov is a legal expert with the International Helsinki Federation, and also works with the Chechen Committee of National Salvation, a human rights organization. From 1996 to 1999 he occupied the post of Deputy Procurator General of the Chechen Republic and led an investigative team conducting inquiries into kidnappings and disappearances. Prague Watchdog http://www.watchdog.cz/?show=000000-000008-000001-000361&lang=1 |