Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, December 2
No major events.
Tuesday, December 3
Calling Russia's evidence about Akhmed Zakayev's alleged crimes insufficient, the Danish Justice Ministry set the Chechen politician free from temporary detention, thus turning down Russia's request for his extradition.
Chechen refugee tent Iman, located near the North Ingushetian village of Aki-Yurt, was fully dismantled. Russian and local authorities claimed that some 1,500 refugees living in the camp left it voluntarily, while human rights and relief aid organizations expressed fears that many of them were removed by threats and force from the camp.
Wednesday, December 4
There is not a single Vahhabi website in Russia at the moment, head of the Russian Interior Ministry's department for fight with hi-tech crimes Dmitri Chepchugov told journalists, adding that Kavkaz-Center, which was registered in Canada, was closed at Russia's request after the Moscow hostage-taking crisis this October.
Thursday, December 5
Chechen politician Akhmed Zakayev, who arrived in Great Britain from Denmark, was arrested by the British police at an airport in London in line with a court order based on Russia's extradition request. After several hours Zakayev, who informed the British police about his deliberate arrival to Britain in advance, was released on bail and will face an extradition hearing.
Representatives of Chechen separatists try to hinder the return of refugees from Ingushetia to Chechnya, waging propaganda campaign in tent camps, said Igor Yunash, first deputy to the head of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Friday, December 6
Head of the Moscow-backed Chechen administration Akhmad Kadyrov told journalists in his native village Tsentaroi that he would run for President. The Chechen presidential elections should take place by October-November 2003 at the latest, he added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it calls Denmark a "stronghold of Chechen terrorists", pointing at the fact that recently the World Chechen Congress and a subsequent conference on Chechnya took place in the country.
Saturday, December 7
The Georgian police brought dozens of Chechens and people of other nationalities living in Tbilisi to police stations, photographed them and took their fingerprints. Georgian officials said that the operation was aimed against criminals, not Chechens.
Sunday, December 8
Three persons carried out an attempt at the life of the first deputy head of the Moscow-backed Chechen administration Usman Masayev, opening fire at his car in the Mayrtup village in the Kurchaloyevski district. Masayev was not injured.
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