ECtHR fines Russia by 70,000 euros for kidnapping Ingush resident

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has imposed a fine on Russia in the sum of 70,000 euros for disappearance on December 18, 2003, of Bashir Mutsolgov. This is stated in the Court's decision.

The "Caucasian Knot" reported that on December 18, 2003, Mutsolgov, 29, was kidnapped near his house by armed persons in camouflage and masks. His brother Magomed Mutsolgov told about it. Since then, nobody ever saw Bashir, but his brother asserts that his friends from the FSB had told him that Bashir was kidnapped by special agencies.

According to the ECtHR, one of the witnesses of the incident had immediately addressed an employee of the Road-and-Patrol Service (RPS). He stopped the car with the kidnappers but was forced to pass them after the driver presented his ID of a law enforcer. Bashir's relatives addressed Russian judicial instances, which had opened a case, but several times stopped the investigation. The "Gazeta.Ru" writes that until now it was impossible to establish Bashir Mutsolgov's whereabouts, or identify those who had kidnapped him.

In response to the Court's request, the Russian government failed to present any documents on the investigation. Besides, in the opinion of the Court, the authorities gave no explanations of Mutsolgov's disappearance. The Court considered the circumstances of the case and decided that he had been kidnapped by representatives of Russian authorities in the course of the operation aimed to ensure security, and he can be considered to be a casualty. Besides, in the opinion of the judges, Russian authorities failed to properly investigate the circumstance of Mutsolgov's disappearance.

Russia shall pay 10,000 euros for material losses, 60,000 euros as compensation of mental sufferings and 2000 euros for legal expenses.

According to the organization named "Mashr", in 2002-2009 in Ingushetia 184 persons were kidnapped or disappeared.