Strasbourg Court demands from Russia to urgently find the resident kidnapped in Chechnya

The European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) has demanded from Russia to present the inquiry materials of the criminal case on Islam Umarpashaev, kidnapped in Chechnya, and inform about the course of investigation of other similar cases in the republic.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this January the Chechen representative office of the Inter-Regional Public Association "Committee Against Torture" received an application of Irisbai Umarpashaev about kidnapping of his son Islam Umarpashaev. According to the applicant, on December 11, 2009, the Islam was taken by Chechen power agents away from his family house in Grozny.

After Islam's kidnapping, his father immediately addressed the Prosecutor's Office. However only on December 16, 2009 his application was transferred to inspector for checking. And a criminal case under Article 126 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Kidnapping") was initiated only on December 28. Now, more than a month after that moment, Islam's family has no idea about his whereabouts and fate.

In view of the circumstances, the experts of the Inter-Regional Anti-Torture Committee decided to send a complaint to the ECtHR. On the following day after receipt of the complaint, the European Court sent an urgent letter to the authorities of the Russian Federation asking a number of questions about Islam Umarpashaev's kidnapping. This information is presented in the statement of the above human rights organization, which has arrived to the "Caucasian Knot".

The Strasbourg Court asks Russia to report, before February 24, 2010, about the measures taken to search Islam, and whether he could be detained by representatives of the state in the course of a special operation. Also, the Russian Federation shall present the respective materials on the criminal case to Strasbourg.