In Vladikavkaz, victims of Beslan terror act demand social protection

Today, the capital of North Ossetia has hosted a picket in defence of constitutional rights of the residents of Beslan, who demand an objective investigation of the terror act on September 1, 2004, and effective justice and social protection.

As stated by Ella Kesaeva, organizer of the picket and leader of the "Voice of Beslan", at 4:00 p.m. about fifty persons gathered near the Lenin monument in Vladikavkaz. Among them, there were lawyers and victims of the Beslan terror act.

Ms Kesaeva also said that on March 25 at the meeting with Alexander Khloponin, presidential plenipotentiary in the NCFD (North-Caucasian Federal District), the issues of absence of effective justice on committed acts of terrorism and lack of social assistance programmes, on which the law has not been passed yet.

"Prior to adoption of the law, assistance programmes are also absent. Article 19 of the Federal Law 'On Combating Terrorism' assumes that the state shall provide social guarantees to victims of terror acts. This article does not work, because no entities in charge of social assistance had been specified. We believe that we demand not only for ourselves, but for all victims of terror acts in Russia," explained Kesaeva.

According to her story, the picketers plan to sign an application addressed to the President of Russia, which will state that the Beslan terror act is not investigated because of the inefficient justice system.