Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, October 7
Chechen human rights defender Sulumbek Tashtamirov, who went on a hunger strike on September 24, left Ingushetia for Moscow after the Ingush police made him leave his tent in the "Rassvet" refugee camp and in order to give his protest wider publicity, according to Viktor Popkov's Analytical and Information Centre.
Tuesday, October 8
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree which strengthens the role of military commandants' offices in Chechnya. Under the decree, federal bodies of executive power and local administrations are to assist military commandants’ offices.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement sharply criticizing the recent recommendation of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that Georgia delay the extradition to Russia of eight Chechens detained by Georgian border guards in early August. The ministry's statement dismissed ECHR's concerns about possible inhuman treatment of the Chechens in Russia.
Wednesday, October 9
No major events.
Thursday, October 10
A blast ripped through a police station in the Zavodskoi district of the Chechen capital of Grozny, killing on the spot or causing fatal injury to a total of 25 Chechen policemen. Investigators believe that it was someone from the local staff who sneaked the explosive into the building.
British Premier Tony Blair in an interview with the BBC made on the eve of his October 10-11 visit to Russia effectively backed Russia's stance on Chechnya.
Friday, October 11
No major events.
Saturday, October 12
A two-day census in Chechnya, taking place within the all-Russian census, was officially launched in Chechnya, although in some parts of the republic it started already on October 9. The results of the census showed that Chechnya's population is nearly 1.089 million, officials said.
Sunday, October 13
Referring to a report worked out by experts of the German intelligence and military, German paper "Welt am Sonntag" wrote that Russia is not able to win the war in Chechnya by military means due to the bad shape of its military, people's support to Chechen fighters and the chaos in the distribution of powers in the republic. At the same time, Russia is not willing to solve the conflict by political means, the daily wrote.
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