Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, May 27
Russian news server Strana.ru reported that a committee for human rights had been set up at Chechnya's pro-Moscow administration in Grozny. The committee, which will be chaired by Ramzan Tamakov, is to begin its work in June.
Chechnya's pro-Moscow government intends to remove all places for ad-hoc placement of Chechen IDPs in Chechnya by late October, said Akhmad Kadyrov, head of Chechnya's pro-Moscow administration, at a meeting in Grozny with representatives of the United Nations.
Tuesday, May 28
Both the Chechen and the Russian armed forces continued to commit serious human rights abuses and to breach international humanitarian law, the Amnesty International said in its Report 2002 (covering events in 2001). Violations committed by Russian forces included arbitrary detention in secret detention centres and in pits in the ground, torture and ill-treatment, "disappearances" and extra-judicial executions. Chechen forces attacked civilians working in the local administration in Chechnya, failed to take steps to minimize civilian casualties during attacks and ill-treated and unlawfully killed captured Russian soldiers, Amnesty said.
First reports appeared that Russia began to transfer units of the 58th army into Ingushetia. All sub-units of the army were deployed around Ordzhonikidzevskaya in the Sunzha district, where most part of the Chechen refugees live in tent camps and other temporary accomodation centers.
Wednesday, May 29
The chief of Chechnya's pro-Moscow administration Akhmad Kadyrov and President of Ingushetia Murat Zyazikov signed an agreement on economic, trade, scientific, and cultural cooperation between the two republics and on „deportation of all Chechen refugees back to Chechnya on a strictly voluntary basis.“ The agreement was signed in Grozny in the presence of Russian presidential envoy in the Southern Federal Region Viktor Kazancev and Russia pledged to allocate $150 million for that purpose.
Thursday, May 30
Unknown attackers shot dead Badudi Jamalayev, head of the Bachi-Yurt village administration, the Russian military announced.
Friday, May 31
Russian human rights commissioner Oleg Mironov said that the Russian military presence in Chechnya should be reduced as much as possible and only units stationed in Chechnya on a permanent basis and Interior Ministry forces should stay in the republic.
Saturday, June 1
Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Fridinsky said the authorities had launched 395 investigations into alleged crimes against Chechen civilians since October 1999. In 130 cases, Russian servicemen were the ones accused, with charges ranging from murder to rape and kidnappings. However, only 30 soldiers have so far been found guilty.
Sunday, June 2
Some 20 people, members of Russian human rights organisations, held an anti-war rally in the Lyubyanskaya square in Moscow in commemoration of Russian human rights activist and peacemaker Viktor Alekseyevich Popkov, who died a year ago of heavy wounds he had suffered near the Alkhan-Kala settlement in Chechnya.
The views expressed on this web site are the authors' own, and don't necessarily reflect the views of Prague Watchdog, which aims to present a wide spectrum of opinion and analysis relating to events in the North Caucasus.
