Relatives of Special Representative of the ChRI Parliament at PACE V. Tutakov kidnapped

Chechenpress Relatives of Special Representative of the ChRI Parliament at PACE V. Tutakov kidnapped During daytime on 21 August, 2003, members of Russian power structures seized five young Chechens in the Cossack village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya in the Sunzha district of Ingushetia and drove them away to an unknown destination. At least two of them were wounded by the soldiers. Today the surnames of the three seized people became known.

They are: Salam Israilovich Kerimov, born 1985; Adam Muradovich Patsayev, born 1984; and Ibragim Abbasovich Idigov, born 1983. All three are first degree nephews of the Special Representative of the ChRI Parliament at PACE, Vagap Tutakov, who is at present in Chechnya on an inspection trip.

Tutakov arrived in the Chechen republic on 20 August, 2003. His nephews drove to meet Vagap at the airport on 21 August, 2003, not knowing that he had arrived the day before. When they returned from there, the young people went to the polyclinic at Stanitsa Ordzhonikidzevskaya, where they were grabbed by Russian troops without any reason. In our opinion, this unsanctioned detention of the innocent Kerimov, Patsayev and Idigov is a political act, directed against the Special Representative of the ChRI Parliament in Strasbourg, Vagap Tutakov. It has in all likelihod been decided to exert pressure on Tutakov, who arrived in the Chechen republic under solid guarantees for his personal safety, given by the High Commissioner of the Council of Europe with the agreement of the Presidential Administration of Russia. The location of his nephews hasn't been accurately established so far, although, according to some informations, they are kept at the IVS of the UFSB of the Republic of Inghushetia [The Ingush State Security].

The attempts of the relatives of Kerimov, Patsayev and Idigov to make the local authorities reveal the location and further fate of the three young men seized by Russian soldiers haven't been crowned by success. Information Centre of the Chechen Committee for National Salvation, Press-release No. 404, 08.09.03, Nazran (RI) www.savechechnya.narod.ru

http://www.chechenpress.com/news/09_2003/2_09_09.shtml [Translation by M.L.]