Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, November 25
Russian President Putin said that he had vetoed amendments to the Media Act and the Act on the Fight with Terrorism, which were recently passed by both chambers of the Russian Parliament. The amendments curbed media coverage of anti-terrorist operations.
A court in the South Russian town of Pyatigorsk sentenced top Chechen commander Said Magomed Chupalayev, who was detained in late March 2002 in a refugee camp in Ingushetia, to 16 years in prison for armed insurgency and organizing illegal armed formations.
Tuesday, November 26
The European Court of Human Rights decided to lift its recommendation of November 10 according to which Georgia should suspend the extradition of several Chechen fighters to Russia.
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov completed his planned two-day visit to the Chechen capital Grozny, during which he met with commanders of the Chechen military operating in Grozny, according to Chechen news agency Chechenpress.
Wednesday, November 27
EU Commissioner Paul Nielson and the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima expressed separately their concerns about the planned closure of a tent refugee camp in Aki-Yurt in northern Ingushetia, pointing at the insecurity as well as lack of alternative accommodation for the returnees in Chechnya.
The interpreter of Akhmad Zakayev was replaced after Danish daily Politiken found out and wrote that the interpreter's wife works at a cultural centre fully financed by the Russian Embassy to Denmark.
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Peter Schieder met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. President Putin informed PACE President about Russia's plan to hold a referrendum on Chechnya's new constition in the first half of 2003 and Schieder expressed PACE's readiness to contribute to a political solution in Chechnya.
Thursday, November 28
No major events.
Friday, November 29
Georgian Prosecutor General Nugzar Gabrichidze said that his office has approved the extradition to Russia of another three Chechen fighters who were detained by Georgian border guards this August. The actual extradition will not be carried out until a Georgian court reviews the appeal of the detainees against the decision, Gabrichidze stressed.
Amnesty International (AI) published a statement strongly condemning "any attempts to return internally displaced persons to Chechnya unless they can be guaranteed security," following reports that the Russian authorities are planning to close camps in Ingushetia by January 2003.
Saturday, November 30
No major events.
Sunday, December 1
Masked men in uniforms shot dead former head of the administration of the Alkhan-Kala village Malika Umazheva. Chechen sources reported that Umazheva was killed by Russian soldiers because of her resistance to Russian mopping-up operations, while Russian sources reported that Umazheva was killed by unnamed bandits, presumably Chechen guerillas because of her co-operation with the Moscow-backed administration.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation announced that it has provided Denmark with all documents necessary for the extradition of Ichkerian Vice-Premier Akhmed Zakayev, who was detained by the Danish police on October 30 at Russia's request filed earlier with Interpol.
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