15:34, 11 April 2005

Detainees still missing

The destiny of three people abducted on the night of 2 April from Duba-Yurt, Shali district, Chechnya, remains unknown. They were abducted by unidentified people along with other two local residents, one of them, Said-Hussein Elmurzayev, a disabled.

The Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship managed to establish some details of the abduction. The group of abductors, armed people in camouflage, was driving three UAZ vehicles and a Niva. They abducted Said-Hussein and his son Sulim. About a year before, unidentified people had killed another son of Said-Hussein. The Shali district prosecutor's office had not carried out an effective investigation into the killing. With regard to that, Said-Hussein had issued a letter of attorney for the Public Initiative on Chechnya organisation to handle this case in the European Court of Human Rights, but he had not insisted on investigation at national level.

The same group abducted another local resident, Vakayev. His relatives resolutely refuse to talk to media or human rights groups.

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