22:47, 10 January 2007

Chechen refugees in Azerbaijan demand guarantees of safety

The Board of Chechen Refugees in Azerbaijan has addressed Mr. Anthoniu Gutterish, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to draw attention of the international community to the "trend of serious aggravation of situation with Chechen refugees in Azerbaijan. First of all, it is a threat to personal safety of our citizens who have come to this country in search of shelter and protection. We mean here facts of kidnapping and atmosphere of intolerance that is artificially pumped up around the refugees."

The appeal runs that "the contingent of Chechen refugees, even without it, found themselves on the verge of humanitarian catastrophe."

All the Chechen refugees were worried with the fate of Ruslan Alievich Eliev, born in 1975, (UNHCR Registration Number - 6032), who was kidnapped in Baku two months ago.

The Board of Chechen Refugees notes that "kidnapping is the most disgustful form of criminality beyond any excuse, irrespective of its culprits - a person, a group or a state."