Survey of Human Rights Materials - October 2000One of our major focus areas is monitoring of violations of human rights. This page contains a list of major documents and reports published in the month of October describing the human rights violations and suffering of people in the war-torn republic.
October 10 - 14, Frankfurter Rundschau
PUTIN'S WAR
Between October 10 and 14, the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau published a series of reports from Chechnya, describing the war crimes of the Russian troops in Chechnya.
The joint research of the Frankfurter Rundschau and another German newspaper, Sudddeutschen Zeitung, shows that civilians are being killed and the country exploited and plundered systematically. The reporters claim to be in a possession of official documents of the pro-Moscow administration in Chechnya proving that not only the military commanders but also president Putin are perfectly aware of the atrocities committed by the Russian troops in Chechnya.
THE ARTICLES IN GERMAN AND RUSSIAN ARE AVAILABLE HERE
October 15, The Observer
CRIES FROM PUTIN'S TORTURE PIT
On October 15, The Observer correspondent John Sweeney, reported on the horror of Chernokozovo camp in an article entitled Cries from Putin's Torture Pit. His report is based on the testimonies of the victims of Russian atrocities.
THE WHOLE ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE HERE
October 19, Memorial
ASLAKHANOV CALLS ON THE STATE DUMA TO STOP "THE GENOCIDE OF THE CHECHEN NATION"
On October 19, the recently elected member of the State Duma representing Chechnya, A. A. Aslakhanov, addressed the Duma to voice his concerns about the lack of improvement in Chechnya. He stressed that the Constitution and laws of the Russian Federation are grossly violated in Chechnya and that lawlessness is the standard in the republic. He accused the Russian federal forces of brutality, torture, looting, unlawful detentions and other violations of human rights.
THE WHOLE SPEECH IS AVAILABLE HERE
October 24, FIDH & Memorial
CHECHNYA: CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. ONE YEAR OF UNPUNISHED CRIMES
On October 24, International Federation of Human Rights and Human rights centre Memorial published an extensive report documenting the violations of human rights by the Russian army and the Chechen fighters. The report points out the flagrant absence of justice and is complemented with an anylisis of the current situation in the Russian army.
THE WHOLE REPORT IN FRENCH IS AVAILABLE HERE
October 25, Los Angeles Times
CHECHENS FALLING PREY TO RUSSIAN SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
On October 25, the Los Angeles Times correspondents report from Chechnya about the violations of laws and human rights by the Russian servicemen. They describe the common practice of the Russian soldier to arrest and detain Chechens and keep them deliberately in a quarry to conceal the fact that the detention has taken place and to be later able to ask for ransom.
THE WHOLE ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE HERE
October 26, Human Rights Watch
WELCOME TO HELL
The crucial document about the violations of human rights in Chechnya published in the month of October is the report of Human Rights Watch released on the eve of the October 29 E.U.-Russia summit. The report details the cycle of torture and extortion faced by thousands of Chechens whom Russian forces have detained in Chechnya and brought to the Chernokozovo “filtration” camp.
The 99-page report, entitled “Welcome to Hell”, describes how Russian troops have detained thousands of Chechens on suspicion of collaboration with rebel fighters. Many of them were detained arbitrarily, with no evidence of wrongdoing. Guards at detention centers systematically beat Chechen detainees, some of whom have also been raped or subjected to other forms of torture. Most were released only after their families managed to pay large bribes to Russian officials. Russian authorities have launched no credible and transparent effort to investigate these abuses and bring the perpetrators to justice.
THE WHOLE REPORT IS AVAILABLE HERE
October 30, Amnesty International
WHAT FUTURE FOR CHECHENS - CITIZENS OR A SUBJUGATED PEOPLE?
On October 30, Amnesty International published an appeal to the participating governments of the E. U. - Russia summit to end continuing grave human rights violations and impunity in Chechnya, entitled What Future for Chechens – Citizens or Subjugated People? The appeal describes the current human rights situation in Chechnya, including the examples of incommunicado detention and torture, and unlawful killings during the cleansing (“mopping up” ) operations of the Russian forces.
The report documents the so-called Noviye Aldi massacre, extrajudicial execution of 50-100 inhabitants of a suburb of Grozny on February 5, 2000, includes a testimony of a 16-year-old boy who was detained and “disappeared” and the case of Ruslan Alikhadzhiev, the speaker of the Chechen parliament, who was detained on May 17 and tortured to death on August 31 in Lefortovo prison in Moscow.
THE WHOLE REPORT IS AVAILABLE HERE
Compiled by Prague Watchdog |
