Human rights activists demand investigation of their colleagues' detention in Chechnya

The international human rights organizations Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders and Front Line have demanded from the Russian authorities to hold inquiry into the fact of detention of three human rights activist in Chechnya and bring those guilty to responsibility.

According to the office of the HRC "Memorial" in Grozny, three Russian human rights activists, members of the Public Commission on Chechnya, created in the end of the last year - Vladislav Sadykov, Dmitri Egoshin and Roman Veretennikov - were detained on February 7 by power agents in the foothill Shali District of Chechnya. They spent 15 hours at the police station, then were released on February 8.

"This case of voluntary detention is a clear evidence that local power agents in Chechnya continue pursuing human rights activists, despite Putin's recent direct order to ensure normal work conditions for human rights organizations," said Holly Cartner, HRW director for Europe and Middle Asia.

According to Mary Lowlor, director of the Front Line, her organization treats the detention of three Russian human rights activists by Chechen militia as an attempt of law-enforcers to force mobile group to close up its work in Chechnya.

The above international organizations call the State Office of Public Prosecutor of Russia to hold an inquiry on the fact of detention and to make the involved officials to responsibility.

Yesterday, on February 8, the news about detention and subsequent release of three activists of Russian NGOs was commented by Ombudsman in Chechnya Nurdi Nukhazhiev, who said in this context that "spy methods in activities of human rights activists are unacceptable."

"Certainly, if the region is visited by some group unknown to law enforcement bodies, naturally, it cannot but attract their attention. Especially if the visitors hold some secret meetings," said the Ombudsman.

According to his version, "if human rights activists from Russia regions really wish to know the state of affairs with human rights in the Chechen Republic and practically help its residents in addressing problems," they should work hand in hand with the local human rights NGOs and authorities, instead of forming "united mobile groups," the IA "Grozny Inform" reports.