18:12, 27 August 2003

Protest against actions of military in Ordzhonikidzevskaya

A protest rally against the actions of the Russian military was held on Monday in the Ingush village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya near the Chechen border. About one hundred people, locals as well as Chechen refugees, took part in this protest.

The people blocked the Rostov-Baku road, insisting that the military stop arresting people without cause.

The reason for this action was a recent arrest of three young people during a ?raid? on a health centre in the village when for no apparent reason the attackers, members of Russian special services, began shooting at them, and seriously wounded one young man. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown.

Relatives of the arrested men surmise the operation had been carried out by special troops from the Khankala military base.

Although no permission was given by local officials to hold the rally, the police did not intervene or try to stop it. It lasted about three or four hours, but the protesters announced they would be back in a few days.

Source: Prague Watchdog