Medvedev asked to investigate disappearances of people in Northern Caucasus

Human rights activists want a letter to be sent to Russian president-elect Dmitri Medvedev with a demand to hold an efficient and fair investigation into disappearances of people in Northern Caucasus.

Documentary named "Missing Lives. Disappearances and Impunity in Northern Caucasus" filmed by the WITNESS Programme jointly with the Branches of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial" in Grozny and Nazran, has already received over 15,000 online viewers.

"With more than 15,000 online viewers so far, we know support is growing to end the Russian military and security forces' impunity for disappearances and torture of people," the film authors declare.

Violetta Krasnik, coordinator of the WITNESS Programme for Europe and post-Soviet countries, remarked in March 2008 that "the problem of kidnappings has spread over Northern Caucasus, having got beyond the borders of Chechnya because of inadequate investigation of this sort of crimes committed during the 'counterterrorist operation'." Human rights activists assert that frequently employees of power agencies are involved in violent disappearances.

"Over 3000 persons still remain missing in Chechnya. They disappeared during the 'counterterrorist operation', starting from 1999, when Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia; now, after the election he leaves this sad heritage to president-elect Dmitri Medvedev," Ms Krasnik has noted.

Human rights activist demand a letter to be directed to president-elect of Russia Dmitri Medvedev with a demand to hold an efficient and fair investigation into disappearances of people and bring those guilty to justice.

On March 29, Gyulnara Rustamova, Chair of the Committee "Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that her organization confronted new problems caused by refusal of local advocates to render legal aid to kidnapped citizens.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already reported that members of the Committee "Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights" are also facing problems. Thus, after a meeting organized by them of one of kidnapped and recently found young men - D. Kamaludinov - with journalists, organized by the "Dagestan Mothers", threats started to arrive to the organizers - G. Rustamova, D. Kamaludinova and S. Omarova. In particular, they demanded from Rustamova to stop her human rights activities.

We remind you that residents of Dagestan used to hold protest actions against kidnappings. The Movement "Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights" that appeared in late August 2007, became a continuation of public protest.

According to the information obtained by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent at the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic Dagestan, in 2007 the bodies of the Office received 45 applications about kidnapping of 47 citizens, and 25 criminal cases were initiated in this connection. In 19 cases, initiation was rejected as the disappeared people were found.