ECtHR finds Russian authorities responsible for kidnapping Ingush resident

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has awarded a compensation of 60,000 euros to the parents and wife of Mukhamed Khutiev, who disappeared back in 2010. Russian authorities are responsible for his kidnapping, his probable death and an inefficient inquiry, the ECtHR has ruled.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 20, 2010, on their way home from Makhachkala, residents of Ingushetia, Mukhamed Khutiev and Magomed Khashagulgov, disappeared. Khutiev was the head of the Ingush branch of the organization named "Guild of NCFD (North-Caucasian Federal District) Builders", and Khashagulgov was a chief specialist there. It was not possible to find out their whereabouts, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"* reported in 2011.

Magomed Khashagulgov is a nephew of Issa Khashagulgov, detained on suspicion of committing on September 9, 2010, a terror act in Vladikavkaz; in 2014, Issa was sentenced to life imprisonment. The terror act killed 20 people.

Khutiev's relatives have conducted their own investigation and found out that at about the same time that contact with Khutiev and Khashagulgov was lost, a law enforcers' post was set up in Makhachkala. According to relatives of Khutiev and Khashagulgov, they could have been detained at that very post.

The inquiry into the disappearance of Khutiev and Khashagulgov was repeatedly suspended and resumed. On several occasions, applicants complained about investigators' inaction, but all their complaints were denied.