MIA of Chechnya refuses to comment inquiry of Islam Umarpashaev's kidnapping

According to Nurdi Nukhazhiev, Ombudsman in Chechnya, there are no grounds to accuse any republic's power agency of kidnapping Islam Umarpashaev, a resident of Chechnya. The head of the press service of the MIA on the Chechen Republic refused to communicate with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on the kidnapping issue.

"If the investigatory bodies suspect or accuse someone, it's a normal phenomenon; it's their work, and they shouldn't be hampered but rather helped. And when someone is accused directly, the last instance is the court," Mr Nukhazhiev said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This was his comment on the statement made by the Chechen representative office of the Inter-Regional Committee against Torture in the connection of the application brought there by citizen Irisbai Umarpashaev on kidnapping on December 11, 2009, of his son - Islam Umarpashaev.

The "Committee against Torture" reports that on results of the preliminary check conducted by the experts of the representative office a decision was made to start a public inquiry of Umarpashaev's application. According to the applicant, his son Islam was kidnapped by Chechen power agents right from their house in Grozny.

The father said that in the morning on December 11, 2009, he was in the house, which they rent by their whole family in the Chechen capital. His sons - Gilani, Islam and Bersan were also at home. At about 8:30 a.m., armed persons in camouflage entered the house and declared that they were checking passports. One of them presented himself: "Ibragimov from the Octiabrskiy ROVD, but showed no documents. Having checked up the passports, they retired having taken Islam Umarpashaev away with them.

The Irisbai's question why they took away his son was replied that Islam would go with them for "clearing some circumstances" to the above ROVD (District Interior Division) of Grozny and "in a couple of hours he'll be back home." However, Islam Umarpashaev has not returned until now; and nothing is known about his whereabouts. On the fact of kidnapping, the investigatory bodies of the Chechen Republic opened a criminal case under Article 126 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Kidnapping").

Mariam Nalaeva, assistant to the head of the Investigatory Department for Chechnya of the ICPO, explained to the "Caucasian Knot" that she would present information about the kidnapped person a bit later.

Magomed Deniev, head of the press service of the MIA of the Chechen Republic, refused to talk to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "When your correspondents contact us, the opposite information then appears. Therefore, I'm not going to give you any information. Thanks a loot and good-bye," Deniev said to the request of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent to comment on Umarpashaev's kidnapping.