11:32, 9 July 2007

North Ossetian Ingushes protest against kidnapping of locals

On July 7, two residents of Chermen village, Prigorodny District, Mukhazhir Gaisanov, 61, and Magomed Torshkhoev, 67, disappeared. So far, their whereabouts remain unknown.

On July 8 and 9, relatives and fellow-villagers of the missing persons, as well as residents of neighbouring villages, took part in spontaneous meetings. One of the participants, named Ahmed, from Chermen village, said:

"It's not the first case, when Ingushes disappear in the Prigorodny District. During the latest two years only, about 20 persons have been kidnapped or disappeared in North Ossetia. Today everyone understands that it is all done again to destabilize the situation in the Prigorodny District. In this connection, the inactivity of local authorities who are doing nothing to prevent crimes of this sort causes surprise and indignation. Until now, none of the crimes has been disclosed and nobody has been brought to responsibility."

We remind you that on May 9, 2007, Arsamakov, Mahmud Ahmetovich, born in 1986, and resident of Chermen Oziev, Ruslan Viktorovich, born in 1984, disappeared in Vladikavkaz.

Author: Timur Khamkhoyev, CK correspondent