ChCNS demands release of Khidrievs accused of blowing up the "Neva-Express" train

On November 26, the Chechen Committee of National Salvation (ChCNS) made a statement with a demand to immediately release Amirkhan and Maksharip Khidrievs, natives of Ingushetia, who were detained by law enforcement bodies on a charge of blowing up the "Neva-Express" train.

"Residents of the Ekazhevo village evidence and confirm that on August 13, 2007, when the "Neva-Express" train was blown up, Amirkhan and Maksharip Khidrievs were in Ingushetia. Amirkhan worked as a crane operator at bridge construction and Maksharip - as a plasterer's assistant," the statement of the ChCNS runs.

The document also marks that from the very beginning the investigation of the case on Khidrievs' involvement in blowing up the train was held with law violations; in particular, according to the ChCNS, the Khidriev brothers were detained by people who failed to present their IDs, and without due sanctions on arrest and search.

Khidrievs' relatives and friends were not informed on the reasons of their arrest and about the place where the brothers had been taken to. From October 31, 2007, on, Khidrievs' advocates and relatives were not allowed to visit them, and no investigatory actions with participation of their relatives and advocates were held.

Also, in the opinion of the ChCNS, "the evidences which were properly gathered by Khidrievs' advocates and being in themselves quite sufficient to lift any charges were not used in the case."

The Chechen Committee of National Salvation is addressing Russian and international human rights organizations, as well as the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe with an appeal to take urgent measures for "non-admission of fabrication of a criminal case in relation to Khidriev brothers."