Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya.
Monday, Nov 12
By April 2002 all Russian federal armed units currently deployed in Chechnya, except for those stationed there on a permanent basis, will be withdrawn from the republic, said commander of the Russian North Caucasian military district Colonel-General Gennady Troshev.
Tuesday, Nov 13
Students and teaching staff of the university in Grozny picketed the entrance to the building of the pro-Moscow government in the Chechen capital, calling for the release of six students arrested during a document check at the university building a day ago. Four of the detained were subsequently released but the remaining two were accused of several crimes and remained in custody.
The Russian State Duma commission on Chechnya said the human rights situation in Chechnya is deteriorating. –- Interfax
Wednesday, Nov 14
No major events.
Thursday, Nov 15
The Dagestani Supreme Court launched a trial against Chechen field commander Salman Raduyev, who was arrested by Russian forces in Chechnya in March 2000 and faces charges of terrorism, banditry, hostage-taking, organization of murders and illegal armed formations. The most serious indictment concerns the raid on Kizlyar in 1996 where several hundred people were taken hostage and 78 killed as a result of an eight-day fight. Raduyev claims he followed the order of first Chechen president Jokhar Dudayev to attract the world's attention to Chechnya.
Russian human rights organisations, including Memorial, the Moscow Helsinki Group and For Human Rights, presented their plan to end the war in Chechnya, calling on Russian leadership to start peace talks with Chechen fighters and providing assistance to Chechen refugees.
Friday, Nov 16
No major events.
Saturday, Nov 17
No major events.
Sunday, Nov 18
Vice-premier of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Akhmed Zakayev arrived from Turkey to Moscow to held the first official meeting with Russian President’s plenipotentiary in the Southern Federal Region Viktor Kazantsev. During the three-hour meeting at the Sheremetyevo-2 airport the two parties exchanged their proposals for the termination of fighting in Chechnya and agenda of future Russian-Chechen talks.
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.
