ECtHR holds Russia responsible for abduction of Chechen woman

Today, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled on the case of abduction in 2009 in Grozny of Zarema Gaisanova in the course of the special operation under command of Ramzan Kadyrov. Gaisanova's mother has been awarded 60,000 euros of compensation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the interests of Lida Gaisanova, the mother of abducted Zarema, were represented at the ECtHR by lawyers from the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" and the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC). In August 2013, the ECtHR decided on eligibility of Lida Gaisanova's complaint.

The 40-year-old Zarema Gaisanova, who worked for the humanitarian organization "Danish Refugee Council", was abducted in the afternoon on October 31, 2009, in the Leninsky District of Grozny by several armed persons. On that day, power agents conducted a special operation in the vicinity of her residence. During the operation, the Gaisanovs' house was burned down; and Zarema Gaisanova was taken away to some unknown place; and her further fate is unknown. On March 2, 2010, Ramzan Kadyrov, had a meeting with Igor Kalyapin, the Chairman of the Committee against Torture (CAT), during which he said that the special operation on the day, when Zarema Gaisanova was abducted, was conducted under his command. Kalyapin then stated that there were reasons to believe that law enforcers were involved in Gaisanova's abduction.

The ECtHR's decision on Zarema Gaisanova's abduction case is posted on the Court's website.

It recognizes the fact of Russia's violation of several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and states that state officials are responsible for the abduction.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.