Close associate of Maskhadov disappears after talk with Gilles-Robles

On February 25, 2006, Alvaro Gilles-Robles, Council of Europe Commissar on Human Rights, visited the camp of "Chernokozovo" in the Chechen Naur district where he got acquainted with the conditions of holding prisoners among whom was Murdashev Vakhid Lakaevich sentenced to 15 years of prison, who had been with Aslan Maskhadov on the day of his death. After a talk with Murdashev, Alvaro Gilles-Robles stated that the "Chechen General demonstrates firmness and conviction" in asserting his principles.

Only several days after the visit of the Council of Europe Commissar on Human Rights to "Chernokozovo", namely, on March 4, 2006, Bai-Ali Elmurzaev, Murdashev's lawyer, sent to the "ChCNS" movement a copy of the urgent telegram he addressed to the RF Supreme Court Chairperson and the RF General Prosecutor which runs:

"After the meeting with Alvaro Gilles-Robles, Council of Europe Commissar on Human Rights, at the "Chernokozovo" pre-trial prison, Murdashev Vakhid Lakaevich, my defendant, was taken to an undisclosed location on a helicopter by unidentified armed people at lunchtime on March 2, 2006. We are concerned about his life and health. Please, take urgent measures to establish his location and return him back to the pre-trial prison. Murdashev V. L. is under responsibility of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation."

Elmurzaev thinks that the reason for kidnapping Murdashev from the pre-trial prison could be his statements and comments during the talk with the CE Commissar on Human Rights about the killing of Aslan Maskhadov, leader of Chechen separatists. This seems to be the reason why Murdashev was kidnapped from "Chernokozovo", reports ChCNS.