Serious human rights violations occurred during Russian operation in Goiskoye villageRuslan Isayev, North Caucasus - On February 14, Russian military units encircled and cut off the village of Goiskoye in the Urus-Martan district while launching a special operation there aimed at detecting Chechen fighters.
According to eyewitness testimonies, Russian soldiers seriously violated Order No. 80 of the Commander of the Unified Group of Federal Troops in North Caucasus. The unit commanders searched houses without introducing themselves or producing their IDs. During the search, some personal property was stolen, furniture destroyed and looting occurred, namely for much desired home-made preserves.
In one instance, the cellar in the house of the local religious leader was blown up because it was thought to have served as a hiding place for guerrilla fighters.
The village was surrounded the entire day, and any movements within or out of the village were forbidden. Even members of the Chechen police, heading to work in Grozny, were not permitted to leave. Fortunately, no one was arrested. The blockade ended in the evening and the soldiers returned to their base.
On January 13, a day before the operation, the people of Goiskoye found pieces of a mutilated human body within a 50-metre radius. From shoes that were left behind in his home, relatives identified him as Murad Khachukayev, a man who lived in the neighbouring village of Goity and whom Russian soldiers had earlier arrested.
(H/E,T) |
