New information on abduction and killing of local residents in Chechnya

The Civil Assistance Committee has provided Caucasian Knot with the information on abduction and murder of Sajasan village residents (Nozhaj-Jurt district, Chechnya).

According to the report, 4 people were detained and taken away from the house of a local resident Ilman Umaev in Sajasan village on 18 April 18, 2006. They are:

• 1. Ilman Umaev, born about 1974;
• 2. His wife Madina, about 20 y/o;
• 3. Ejsa Umaev, his father, born about 1954;
• 4. Anzor Umaev, his cousin, born about 1972-1973.

According to the Civil Assistance Committee around 5:00 AM a group of military men, said to be members of Thunderstorm unit, approached by vehicles the house of Ilman Umaev that was located on the edge of the village. They rushed into the house and shot Ilman's cousin Anzor in the leg as he slept. Having heard the sounds of shooting, one of the neighbors went to Ejsa Umaev, Ilman's father, who lives in the center of the village, and brought him to the house of his son.

By that time the fighters of Thunderstorm had already taken away Ilman, his wife Madina, and wounded Anzor, the latter by dragging him over the ground. Ejsa - the elderly and sick person, was severely beaten; they blooded his face, and took him away as well.

About 4:00 PM Umaev's relatives were informed, that Anzor's and Ilman's bodies had been found lying on the crossroad of the roads leading to Nozhaj-Jurt, Sajasan and Beno villages. Local residents, as they passed-by, witnessed the photographic session of the bodies. The murdered men, whose clothes had already been changed into military uniforms, were photographed as though they were just neutralized active insurgents.

On the night of April 19, 2006, Madina Umaeva according to the Civil Assistance Committee report, was released. Ejsa Umaev, Ilman's father, remains detained in Nozhaj-Jurt village.

The Civil Assistance Committee also reported that Umaev's relatives were informed over the phone that they should bury Ilman and Anzor Umaev outside of a cemetery without traditional funeral ritual; otherwise Ejsa Umaev would be killed.

In 1999-2003 Ilman Umaev participated in military actions as a member of separatist units. In 2003 his elder brother was taken away from the house by masked armed men of unknown authority; he disappeared without trace. Ilman remained the only surviving son in his family. It was reported that he had sworn on the Koran not to participate in armed struggle any longer. He is survived by three small children; the youngest one was born in the summer of 2005.

Ilman's father, Ejsa Umaev, according to his relatives, had never had any connections with military actions on any side.

See earlier:

• People continue to disappear in Kabardino-Balkaria (20/1/2006)