27.03.2007 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Chechen refugees in the Pankisi Gorge faced poor living conditions and suffered a lack of proper food, adequate housing, medical care and education, as well as frequent abuse and harassment ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2007 (Events of 2006)") [ID 19530]

"The refugees in the Pankisi Gorge faced poor living conditions and suffered a lack of proper food, adequate housing, medical care and education, as well as frequent abuse and harassment. The refugees were forced to remain in Pankisi in a virtual limbo; unable to return home where they would face violations of their rights, not able to obtain work permits or citizenship in Georgia and not permitted to migrate to other countries. Another problem that was faced by the refugees was extradition back to Russia: this danger, however, reduced in 2006 because of political tensions between Georgia and Russia."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Approximately 1,600 registered refugees from Chechnya; they remained vulnerable to abuse, including police harassment and threats of forcible return to Russia ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19328]

"There were approximately 1,600 registered refugees from Chechnya in the country. Chechen refugees settled in the Pankisi valley in the eastern part of the country. International humanitarian organizations' assistance to refugees in the Pankisi valley was sporadic. Chechen refugees remained vulnerable to abuse, including police harassment and threats of forcible return to Russia. In November 90 refugees, mostly ethnic Kists (ethnic Chechens from Georgia), voluntarily returned to Russia via Azerbaijan. During the year there were no instances of refoulement."

Document(s): Open document

13.02.2007 - Source: Council of Europe - European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

Refugees from Chechnya are in a much worse situation than other refugees; allegations of illegal deportations, suspicious disappearances, arbitrary raids and excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies ("Second report on Georgia: Adopted on 30 June 2006 and made public on 13 February 2007 [CRI(2007)2]") [ID 19174]

"Over and above the humanitarian problem, ECRI is mainly very concerned to learn that while refugees from Chechnya theoretically have the same rights as others, they are in practice in a much worse situation than other refugees, for two main reasons.  

Firstly, the law enforcement agencies subject Chechen refugees to closer attention and surveillance on the pretext of combating organised crime and terrorism. According to several non-government sources, refugees from Chechnya are therefore unjustifiably harassed by law enforcement officials. ECRI has received allegations of illegal deportations to Russia and other countries, and of suspicious disappearances, arbitrary raids and excessive use of force and firearms, particularly during special operations by the law enforcement agencies. The Georgian authorities have indicated that the only Chechens who have been extradited are the live applicants in the Shamayev case. According to the Georgian authorities, there have been no other cases of extradition or expulsion of persons of Chechen origin. ECRI recalls the principle that persons cannot be deported or extradited to a country in which they are likely to be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.  

Secondly, refugees from Chechnya have a negative reputation among the Georgian population because they are often regarded as terrorists, especially by people living outside the Pankisi region. Stereotypes and prejudice of this kind have apparently resulted in instances of housing discrimination, with refugees from Chechnya sometimes having difficulty in finding privately let accommodation."

Document(s): Open document

13.02.2007 - Source: Council of Europe - European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

Most of the refugees from Chechnya arrived in 1999; there were initially almost 8,000 of them; many left to settle in third countries; most of those who remain live in the Pankisi region on the border with Russia ("Second report on Georgia: Adopted on 30 June 2006 and made public on 13 February 2007 [CRI(2007)2]") [ID 19179]

"Most of the refugees from Chechnya arrived in 1999. Some of them are of Chechen origin, others are Kists, who previously lived in Georgia, then after settling in Chechnya, fled back to Georgia as a result of the armed conflict. There were initially almost 8,000 of these refugees; by the end of 2005, according to the UNHCR, there were only 2,483. This is mainly because many refugees left to settle in third countries. Most of those who remain live in the Pankisi gorges on the border with Russia. They have obtained the status of “collective refugees‘ or prima facie“ refugees."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Center

Report on situation of Chechen refugees in Georgia between 1999 and 2006 (Asylum and Nonrefoulment; cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; access to courts; access to employment; future prospects) ("Silence kills: Abuse of Chechen Refugees in Georgia") [ID 18546]

Approximately 8,000 refugees from the Russian Federation have sought refuge in Georgia since the resumption of the Chechen conflict in 1999. It is still unsafe for the refugees to return to their homeland, where they face harassment, extortion and the possibility of being "disappeared".

Document(s): Open document

10.2006 - Source: International Federation for Human Rights

Lack of humanitarian aid concerning refugees from Chechnya; Chechens sent back to Russia despite the risk of torture ("Note: Situation of Human Rights in Georgia") [ID 18505]

"FIDH and HRIDC also express their deep concern over the situation of refugees especially from Chechnya and of internal displaced persons (IDP). In a report published in 2005, HRDIC condemned bad security conditions and a lack of humanitarian aid despite the presence of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in the region. The Georgian branch of the UNHCR has repeatedly ignored internationally recognized norms by sending Chechens back to Russia against their will despite the risk of torture, for their security and their lives. Moreover, Chechen refugees, in the Pankisi Gorge, face poor living conditions and suffer a lack of proper food, housing, medical care and education, as well as frequent abuse and harassment from state authorities. The refugees are forced to remain in Pankisi Gorge, unable to return home, to obtain work permits or citizenship in Georgia, or to migrate to other countries."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

Chechen refugees sought by Russia on terrorism charges faced forcible return to Russia; 3 Russian asylum-seekers were expelled to Russia in March 2005 without considering their asylum claims, although there was reportedly no extradition claim ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 15544]

"Chechen refugees sought by the Russian Federation on terrorism charges and an ethnic Kurd wanted by Turkey, who was allegedly a member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), faced being forcibly returned to a country where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations. In March, three young Russian citizens, Shengeli Tsatiashvili and his younger brothers Suleiman and Sosran, were reportedly detained in the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation in Tbilisi by officers of the Interior Ministry’s anti-terrorism group. They had gone to the building to register an asylum claim for the two younger men; the older brother had applied for asylum in December 2004. They were reportedly first taken to the offices of the anti-terrorism group for questioning and then to the Red Bridge on the border with Azerbaijan. They were left in the territory between Georgia and Azerbaijan but managed to return to Georgia. They returned to the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation, accompanied by representatives of the Ombudsman’s office and the UN Association of Georgia, and registered the asylum claim. Reportedly, there was no extradition request for the three brothers and they were expelled although the authorities had not yet considered their asylum applications."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Chechen refugee Adam Talalov who disappeared in 2003 from Pankisi Gorge remains missing; 2 Kists seeking asylum at ministry of Refugees and Housing were transported to Azerbaijani border; they spent several weeks in neutral zone before they were granted asylum status ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46124],  [ID 5376]

"At year's end the whereabouts of Chechen refugee Adam Talalov, who disappeared in 2003 from the Pankisi Gorge, remained unknown, and no developments were expected in the case. [...]
There were over two thousand registered refugees from Chechnya in the country. Chechen refugees settled in the Pankisi Valley in the eastern part of the country. International humanitarian organizations assistance to refugees in the Pankisi Valley was sporadic. Chechen refugees remained vulnerable to abuse, including police harassment and threats of refoulement.
The majority of the Chechen refugees lived with the local Kist (ethnic Chechens from Georgia) population; only 15 percent were sheltered in communal centers. In December one hundred Chechen refugees returned to Chechnya.
According to the ombudsman's office, in March two Kists, both Russian citizens, went to the Ministry of Refugees and Housing in Tbilisi seeking asylum. The MOIA arrested them and transported them to the Azerbaijani border, where authorities reportedly refused them entry unless they agreed to return to Russia. The men spent several weeks in the neutral zone between the Georgian and Azerbaijani borders before returning to Georgia. The Ministry of Refugees and Housing eventually gave the two Kists asylum status."

Document(s): Open document

06.02.2006 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Chechens receive prima facie refugee status, which has to be renewed every year; according to estimates 2,586 Chechen refugees reside in Georgia; recently the only durable solution for Chechens in Georgia was leaving to third countries; human rights of Chechens are reportedly violated ("Refugees and displaced persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia [Doc. 10835]") [#43664],  [ID 5377]

"10. The refugees in Georgia are mainly Chechens who arrived from Chechnya. However, according to the UNHCR data, the majority of them are Kistins – ethnic Chechens originating from Georgia who reside in the Pankisi valley in eastern Georgia. A number of them at some point left for Chechnya and fled to Georgia after the hostilities there erupted. The Chechens receive status in Georgia on a prima facie basis. However, this status has to be renewed every year. The growth rate has fallen sharply in the last few years. The number of Chechen refugees is currently estimated at 2 586, divided into 835 families. There are very few in Tbilisi and in the district capital, Akhmeta.
11. During recent years, in fact only one durable solution – i.e. emigration to third countries – was available to Chechen asylum-seekers. A number of families were accepted by Canada, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands with the assistance of UNHCR, however, most states are reluctant to receive the Chechens, and this number is much lower than the real need. In the meantime, it seems that the integration potential of the Chechens, particularly Kistins, remains underestimated, and this opportunity could be studied more carefully by the Georgian authorities.
12. According to media reports, in late May 2005, following the visit of the delegation from the authorities of the Chechen Republic aimed at persuading the asylum-seekers to return, over 200 Chechens left 5 villages in the Pankisi valley. According to another media outlet, in early June the number of Chechen asylum-seekers remaining in Georgia as of early June, was 450. However, your Rapporteur had no opportunity to double-check these figures. [...]
42. Despite the number of Chechens asylum-seekers has reduced substantially, some problems related to them still remain. Human rights NGOs, in particular, reported about cases of harassment and violation of their rights during the security checks, as well as ill-based detentions. These allegations have been confirmed by the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights adopted on 12 April 2005. The Court ruled that Georgia violated the human rights of 13 Chechens by not giving them a fair chance to appeal against extradition after they entered the country illegally. While fully recognising legitimate concerns over security situation in Georgia, as well as delicate political nature of the problem, your Rapporteur would like to remind that human rights of every person must be fully respected, also in anti-terrorist activities."

Document(s): Open document

23.01.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Still terrorists in Pankisi gorge, says Russian Ambassador Vladimir Chkhikvishvili ("Russian Ambassador Says 'Some' Terrorists Ramain in Pankisi") [#42726],  [ID 5378]

Document(s): Open document

10.01.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) demands release of Chechen refugee and founder of NGO Imedi (Hope) Magomed Makhaev; he was arrested on suspicion of ties with Al-Qaeda ("Rights Group Calls On Georgia To Release Chechen Activist") [#41549],  [ID 5379]

Document(s): Open document

01.01.2006 - Source: Civil Georgia

Tbilisi: Police reportedly arrested Chechen refugee and accused him and his charity organisation of having links with al-Qaeda ("Reports: Chechen Refugee with Alleged Al-Qaeda Links Arrested") [#41730],  [ID 5380]

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Chechen refugees lack housing, medical care and employment opportunities and are subjected to police harassment and threats of refoulement; repatriation of 18 Chechen refugees organized by Russian authorities in March was not considered voluntary by UNHCR ("World Report 2006") [#42316],  [ID 5381]

"Chechen refugees remain vulnerable to abuse in Georgia. They lack adequate housing, medical care, and employment opportunities. Refugees are subjected to police harassment and threats of refoulement. In March 2005, two Kists (ethnic Chechens from Georgia), who were Russian citizens, reportedly went to the Ministry of Refugees and Housing in Tbilisi, seeking asylum. Officers from the Ministry of Interior arrested them and took them to the border with Azerbaijan, where Azerbaijani authorities reportedly refused them entry unless they agreed to return to Russia. They spent several weeks in the neutral zone between the Georgian and Azerbaijani borders before returning to Georgia. On May 28, 2005, Russian authorities organized the repatriation of eighteen Chechen refugees from Georgia. Although no force was used, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees did not consider the repatriation voluntary due to the lack of access to objective and accurate information about conditions in the country of origin."

Document(s): Open document

01.2006 - Source: Human Rights Center

Unlawful extraditions to Russia and disappearances of Chechen refugees have been reported; Chechens are often labelled 'terrorists' and are refused entry into Georgia ("Next Stop – Belarus?; Human Rights Report 2005; Georgia") [#43007],  [ID 5382]

For documentation of individual cases please refer to the original document

"Chechens do not seem to be able to find any rest within or outside their homeland. Although Georgia acts as a place of refuge for those who have fled the dirty conflict, Chechens do not feel safe there either. Apart from the very difficult economic conditions they find themselves in, they suspect Georgian officials to have a pro- Russian attitude in the policy and stereotypes towards them. Cases of unlawful extraditions to Russia and disappearances under suspicious circumstances have been reported. It can be said with a fair amount of certainty that a person reported ‘missing’ in the Chechen conflict zone will not be seen again. The Georgian side also seems to be quite willing to accept the Russian label of ‘terrorist’ put on some individuals. It seems that this is about the only policy field in which Georgian and Russian officials cooperate well. Apart from this, Chechens are often simply refused entry into the country, even with all documents in order. Also, the activities of the UN High Commissioner on Refugees are criticized as being corruption and for raising expectations that cannot be fulfilled."

Document(s): Open document

2006 - Source: Human Rights Center

Founder of "Imedi", the only humanitarian organization in Pankisi gorge, was sentenced to pre-trial detention in December 2005; thereafter all humanitarian activities carried out by "Imedi" were stopped ("Chechen Refugees in Georgia - The Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of Chechens Living in Georgia") [ID 17927]

For more information about Chechen refugees in Georgia please refer to the original document

"On December 30th 2005, the founder of the only humanitarian organization in the Pankisi gorge area, Muhamed Mahaev, was sentenced to three months of pretrial detention following a decision of the City Court. His organization is accused of cooperation with the terrorist organization Al Qaeda. He was accused of falsifying documents, abuse of his position and embezzling 24,000GEL. The humanitarian organization ‘Imedi’ (‘Hope’), was founded by Mahaev in 2003 and assisted the Chechen Refugees in the Pankisi gorge with food and other useful supplies. According to the investigators, the donor organizations that financed Imedi have links with Al Qaeda. The Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre’s Executive Director, Ucha Nanuashvili, stated: “The accusation is absurd; one of the donor organizations, ‘Muslim Hands’, is partner of The Red Cross. Factually, the investigation also accuses these organizations of being tied to Al Qaeda.” Lawyer Davit Managadze also stated at the time: “the investigation is biased, they do not take all existing evidence into consideration. There is no reason for Mahaev’s imprisonment; the statement by the investigation that Mahaev may leave the country is unreasonable, seeing as his passport was taken away.” The General Prosecutor’s Office investigated the case from July 2005 onwards. During this period Mahaev did not hide from investigators. The Chechen Refugees Rights Protection Coordinating Council agreed to stand as a guarantor for Mahaev. They were sure that Mahaev would not miss his trial, stating: “We are petrified because of this trial. This shows they can accuse every Chechen of terrorism. They have been investigating this organization’s activities for months and could not find anything; their arguments are not reasonable”."

Document(s): Open document

06.12.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

About 140 Chechen refugees residing in Pankisi valley since 1999 returned back to Chechnya on December 6 ("Dozens of Chechen Refugees Repatriated") [#41798],  [ID 5383]

Document(s): Open document

05.12.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

About 140 Chechen refugees residing in Pankisi gorge since 1999 left country and returned back to Chechnya; return of Chechen refugees was organized by Russian ministry for emergency situations ("Dozens of Chechen refugees repatriated (United Nations Association of Georgia)") [#40246],  [ID 5384]

Document(s): Open document

04.07.2005 - Source: UN Committee Against Torture

After extradition of Chechens to Russia on the ground that they had committed crimes in Russian Federation, number of Chechens lodged complaint at European Court of Human Rights ("Consideration of Reports submitted by States Parties under Article 19 of the Convention; Third periodic reports of States parties due in 2003; Addendum; Georgia [CAT/C/73/Add.1]") [#37524],  [ID 5386]

"27. During the reporting period, the extradition of a group of citizens of the Russian Federation of Chechen nationality who had crossed the border into Georgia and remained there, was widely publicized and debated. The Office of the Procurator-General of the Russian Federation applied to the competent authorities of Georgia for the extradition of those persons, claiming that those citizens had committed crimes in the territory of the Russian Federation. After the completion of the legally established procedures, several of those persons were handed over to the Russian Federation. The competent authorities of Georgia received advance official notification that “the Office of the Procurator-General of the Russian Federation assures Georgia that in the Russian Federation these persons shall be given all … rights to a defence, [and] they shall not be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” (letter from the Russian Federation of 27 September 2002). Following an investigation into the matter, Georgia learned that some of the individuals who had crossed the border were Georgian citizens, which automatically excluded the possibility of their extradition, since article 57 of the Minsk Convention, and article 62 of the Georgian-Russian Treaty on Reciprocal Legal Assistance clearly prohibit the extradition of a citizen of one State to another State.
28. In connection with this extradition case, a number of Chechens lodged a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights, referring, in particular, to article 3 (Prohibition of torture) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The complaint was admitted but has not yet been considered."

Document(s): State report
Concluding observations of 25 July 2006 [CAT/C/GEO/CO/3]

16.06.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Chechen refugees in Pankisi Gorge are voluntary returning home ("Pankisi Chechens Head Home") [#32995],  [ID 5387]

Document(s): Open document

15.06.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Chechen refugees are subjected to police harassment and threats of refoulement ("Georgia and the European Neighbourhood Policy") [#35208],  [ID 5388]

"Chechen refugees, the largest refugee group in Georgia, are subjected to police harassment and threats of refoulement. In August 2004, following pressure from Moscow about the presence of “terrorists” in the Pankisi Valley, masked Georgian security forces raided the homes occupied by refugees and Kists (ethnic Chechens from Georgia). Up to twelve men were detained and accused of illegally entering Georgia. All were released within several days without charge. In February 2004, shortly after two Chechen asylum seekers were released from custody in Tbilisi, they went missing and later appeared in Russian custody. Human rights groups in Georgia suspect that Georgian authorities aided the Russian security forces’ detention of these men, in breach of Georgian law and international standards prohibiting return in cases where there is a risk of torture. In March 2005, two Kists, who were Russian citizens, reportedly went to the Ministry of Refugees and Housing in Tbilisi, seeking asylum, and officers from the Ministry of Interior arrested them and took them to the border with Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani authorities reportedly refused them entry unless they agreed to return to Russia. They spent several weeks in the neutral zone between the Georgian and Azerbaijani borders, before returning to Georgia. An NGO and an international organization told Human Rights Watch that they had received unconfirmed reports that Georgian border guards along the Russian border refuse entry to Chechen asylum seekers, thereby pushing them back into Russian territory."

Document(s): Open document

30.05.2005 - Source: Civil Georgia

19 Chechen refugees left Pankisi gorge and returned back to Chechnya ("Official Repatriation of Chechen Refugees Launched") [#42881],  [ID 5389]

Document(s): Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Chechens accused of “terrorism” continued to be in danger of extradition to the Russian Federation where they risked serious human rights violations ("Annual Report 2005") [#32289],  [ID 5390]

"The Russian authorities frequently stated that Chechens wanted by them for “terrorism” were hiding in the Georgian Pankisi gorge, a charge that Georgia denied. In February, President Saakashvili told the Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy that people suspected of “terrorist” attacks in Moscow had already been extradited, adding an invitation to the Russian authorities to help find anybody remaining so that they could “throw them out of Georgia together”. In October, the Georgian Interior Minister announced that Georgia would be prepared to provide the Russian authorities with lists of those living in the gorge. As a member of the Council of Europe and a party to the UN Refugee Convention and its Protocol, Georgia is obliged to refrain from deportations or extraditions that put people at risk of serious human rights violations.

Several local human rights activists alleged that the Georgian authorities facilitated the detention of the Chechens Khusein Alkhanov and Bekhan Mulkoyev by officers of the Russian Federal Security Service in North Ossetia in Russia on 19 February. This was categorically denied by senior government officials. The two men had been detained by Georgian border guards when crossing into Georgia in August 2002. They were held in detention until 6 February 2004 when they were released by Tbilisi regional court. On 16 February local groups reported the two men had “disappeared”, only one week before a delegation from the European Court was due to interview them in Tbilisi."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

25.05.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

Members of Russian delegation offered new security guarantees to Chechen refugees in Georgia’s Pankisi gorge if they repatriate to Chechnya ("Russian officials try to convince Chechen refugees to repatriate (UNA Georgia)") [#32358],  [ID 5391]

Document(s): Open document

19.05.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Georgian authorities’ policy towards Chechen refugees continued to be directed by the desire to please the Kremlin ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2005 (Events of 2004)") [#32106],  [ID 5392]

"The Georgian authorities’ policy towards Chechnyan refugees continued to be directed by the desire to please the Kremlin. Numerous Chechens were illegally detained, ill-treated and subjected to discriminatory treatment. It appeared that the main principle was to return Chechens looking for rescue in Georgia back to the Russian Federation. In doing so, Georgian authorities violated the obligations laid down in the Geneva Refugee Convention. At least two Chechen refugees disappeared while in Georgia.

On 3 August Georgian security forces detained 11 men and beat many protesting Chechen women during a mop-up operation carried out in Pankisi gorge. Twelve of them sustained serious injuries and were hospitalized, and one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage.

Two Chechen refugees, Islam Khashiev and Hussein Alkhanov, who had been charged with violating border regulations, disappeared after being acquitted by a Tbilisi Court on 6 February. It was alleged that on the next day they were kidnapped by unknown individuals and were deported to Russia without any legal procedures. Their fate remained uncertain despite the claims in the Russian media on 25 February that Russian authorities had detained them. However, in a BBC’s “Hardtalk” interview on 8 March President Saakashvili denied that any secret extradition had taken place but called the two Chechens “armed combatants,” despite the court decision to acquit them."

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2005 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Chechen refugees remain vulnerable to abuse; they lack adequate housing, medical care, and employment opportunities and are subjected to police harassment and threats to refoulement ("World report 2005") [#28220],  [ID 5393]

"Chechen refugees in Georgia remain vulnerable to abuse. They lack adequate housing, medical care, and employment opportunities. The refugees are subject to police harassment and threats of refoulement. Georgian authorities suspect some refugees of involvement in terrorism, and abuses take place during counter-terrorism operations. In May, Chechen refugees in the Pankisi Valley went on a hunger strike for over a week, protesting police harassment, including unauthorized and intimidating house searches. In August, following Russia’s unilateral closure of the border and pressure from Moscow about the presence of “terrorists” in the Pankisi Valley, masked Georgian security forces carried out raids against homes occupied by refugees and Kists (ethnic Chechens from Georgia). Up to twelve men were detained and accused of illegally entering Georgia. All were released within several days without charge.

In February 2004, two Chechens, Khusein Alkhanov and Bekhan Mulkoyev, were released from custody after a Georgian Court refused to extradite them to Russia on terrorism charges, citing the fact that Alkhanov is a refugee and a dispute about Mulkoyev’s identity. The men went missing soon after their release, and later appeared in Russian custody. Human rights groups in Georgia suspect that Georgian authorities aided the Russian security forces’ detention of these men, in breach of Georgian law and international standards prohibiting return in cases where there is a risk of torture."

Document(s): Open document

12.2004 - Source: Human Rights Center

According to HRIDC Chechen refugees further on persecuted by government ("One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Human Rights in Georgia after the “Rose Revolution”") [#27594],  [ID 5394]

For a documentation of individual cases please refer to the original document

"The Georgian government continues the persecution of Chechen refugees. On October 9 this year Security Ministry officers of the Counter-terrorist Centre arrested Visami Tutuyev, a director of Kavkaz-Center Chechen news agency, a refugee from Chechnya near Tbilisi City Municipality building. He was not allowed to contact his lawyer and his cell phone was confiscated. After 5 hours’ of detention in the Counter-terrorist Centre office he was released but since than Special Service had been keeping an eye on him. It should also be noted that on the next day of Tutuyev’s detention unidentified people wounded the journalist’s son in Baku. Visami Tutuyev asserts that the conflict was deliberately provoked and aimed at intimidating him. It should be mentioned as well that in October the Georgian Ministry of Interior stated that they are going to submit a list of Chechen refugees to the Russian Federation. This was followed by protest of NGOs. Human Rights Information and Documentation Center is concerned about the frequent violation of Chechen’s rights living in Georgia under the status of “refugee.” Contrary to the obligations of protecting refugees, the authorities do not defend refugees’ rights and security sufficiently. Thereby the responsible authorities themselves are violating refugee rights and taking measures of punishment against them. There are several cases that illustrate the pro-Russian politics of the new government toward Chechnya. Its victims often turn out to be innocent people. Among such cases are: the “Disappearance” of two Chechens, released from the court house in February of the current year, a special operation conducted in Pankisi Gorge (when 14 female refugees had been beaten and 19 male refugees detained) as well as numerous illegal detentions of Chechens."

Document(s): Open document

13.09.2004 - Source: ReliefWeb

Pankisi: Chechen refugees in the Pankisi-gorge are exposed to arrests, ill treatment and threats of being send home ("Norwegian Refugee Council warns about atrocities committed towards refugees in the Pankisi-gorge (NRC)") [#25535],  [ID 5395]

"The terrorist attacks in Russia lately, followed by president Putins' declarations to "get the terrorists wherever they may be", have increased fear among the roughly 2600 Chechen refugees who since 1999 have sought refuge in the Pankisi-Gorge in Georgia. The Norwegian Refugee Council is one of the few international aid organizations that are present in the area.

According to NRC the situation was tense already before the latest terrorist attacks in Russia.

- Georgian police has on several occasions arrested, ill treated and threatened to send Chechen refugees home. At the same time there are reports of Russia putting increasingly more pressure on Georgia to get the authorities to send the refugees back to Chechnya. We now fear that the refugees in the Pankisi-gorge will be exposed to further assaults, says Secretary General, Raymond Johansen. He visited the gorge in July this year.

He warns that the refugees' rights are sacrificed in the battle against terror, and that Chechen's in the Pankisi-gorge are used in a political game between Georgia and Russia. Georgia's new government has officially declared that it will recapture the two autonomous republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which disengaged from Georgia after the fall of the Soviet Union."

Document(s): Open document

08.08.2004 - Source: ReliefWeb

Chechen refugees living in the villages in Pankissi Gorge, Georgia, are repeatedly being attacked by unknown armed groups ("Chechen refugee situation in Pankissi still intense (Prague Watchdog)") [#24716],  [ID 5396]

Document(s): Open document

27.05.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Many of the 3,856 Chechen refugees registered in Georgia, worried about Georgian president Saakashvili’s drive to cooperate with Russia, are desperate to leave the country ("Chechen Refugees Want Out of Georgia") [#22545],  [ID 5397]

"But, like many other of the 3,856 Chechen refugees registered in Georgia, Astayeva now wants to flee again – this time to the West. “We need to get out of here – beyond the ex-Soviet Union,” she said.

Refugees recite the misery of life in the Pankisi, but increasingly they also voice fears about Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili’s drive to cooperate with Russia, including sealing off Chechnya.

[...]
Although their numbers are small, the Chechens in Pankisi are a still major political issue in Georgian-Russian relations.

Until 2002, significant numbers of guerrillas were believed to use the steep, wooded valley and its string of villages about 50 kilometres from Chechnya as a rear base for their operations. Crime, including kidnapping, was also beyond the control of the Georgian authorities.

That has changed since a series of police sweeps that began in early 2002, and with the improved security, Georgian troops have reduced their presence in the area from nine to five checkpoints.

Yet Chechens, worried that Saakashvili has struck a deal with the Kremlin to hand some of them back to Russia, feel less safe than ever.

In February this year, two Chechen men vanished shortly after being freed from Georgian custody in Tbilisi, only to reappear in the hands of Russian police.

The Georgian government denied accusations that it spirited the two Chechens to Russia in February.
[...]
Although their numbers are small, the Chechens in Pankisi are a still major political issue in Georgian-Russian relations.

Until 2002, significant numbers of guerrillas were believed to use the steep, wooded valley and its string of villages about 50 kilometres from Chechnya as a rear base for their operations. Crime, including kidnapping, was also beyond the control of the Georgian authorities.

That has changed since a series of police sweeps that began in early 2002, and with the improved security, Georgian troops have reduced their presence in the area from nine to five checkpoints.

Yet Chechens, worried that Saakashvili has struck a deal with the Kremlin to hand some of them back to Russia, feel less safe than ever.

In February this year, two Chechen men vanished shortly after being freed from Georgian custody in Tbilisi, only to reappear in the hands of Russian police.

The Georgian government denied accusations that it spirited the two Chechens to Russia in February.
[...]
Since 2003, just 38 Chechens have left Pankisi for new countries, including Canada, Sweden and Finland, according to the UNHCR. Another 17 “cases,” meaning either individuals or families, have been accepted by host countries, but not yet allowed to leave.

This year, UNHCR hopes to speed up the process and win approval for 100 cases. Canadian representatives met refugees less than a month ago. Yet even at this rate, it is clear that only a small portion will be able to go."

Document(s): Open document

23.04.2004 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Chechen refugees in Georgia subjected to disappearances, unfair treatment, illegal arrests, and extradition and deportation to Russia ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2004 (Events of 2003)") [#21453],  [ID 5398]

"Following the outbreak of the second armed conflict in Chechnya in 1999, some 6,000 Chechens fled to Georgia, and were granted prima facie refugee status. According the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of 31 March 2003, 4,000 Chechen refugees resided in Pankisi Gorge and 185 resided in Tbilisi. 75% of the refugees were women, children and the elderly.

Since their stay in Georgia, there has been increasing concern about the respect of their basic human rights: they have been subjected to disappearances, unfair treatment, illegal arrests, and extradition and deportation to Russia. These violations intensified following increased Russian pressure on Georgia and an anti-terrorist military operation in Pankisi Gorge by the Georgian government, backed by the US government.

Pankisi Gorge was isolated by police cordons from the rest of Georgia and remained largely barred from the media and independent observers. In the name of combating terrorism and under pressure from Russia, in October 2002, Georgian authorities extradited five Chechens to Russia without a court decision, and therefore in violation of Georgian law. Under the same pretence, the Interior Ministry and security officers arrested and detained hundreds of Chechen refugees, including women and children in 2002-2003. There were been multiple violations of the rights of detained persons, including the denial of access to lawyers of their choice, as well as intimidation. Before being released, all refugees were fingerprinted without a court decision as if they were criminal suspects. In 2002, the “mop-up” operations resulted in disappearances, intimidation and ill-treatment of refugees.

• Hussein Yusupov was released from the Georgian Security Minister detention in August 2003. Yusupov, a 25-year-old student and Chechen refugee, was arrested on 20 September 2002 at the checkpoint in Pankisi Gorge, and immediately taken to the police department in Akhmeta. The same day, he was transported to the anti-terrorism center of the Ministry of State Security in Tbilisi. On 25 September he made a phone call to his mother telling her that there would be no trial and that he would released immediately. After that, no one heard from him until his release 11 months later. His mother, who had tried to find out his whereabouts, had been officially informed by the Prosecutor’s Office and security offices that her son had been released on 25 September 2002 and that he had not been registered in any detention facility in Georgia after that date. Yusupov’s detention was in violation of Georgian law which required that charges be brought within 48 hours of detention or suspects must be released. However, no investigations were initiated into his illegal detention.

With the approach of presidential elections in Chechnya, Russia intensified its efforts to bring all Chechens back home to vote for a pro-Russian president and tried to convince the world that the conditions in that region were satisfactory for refugees to return.

In October 2003 the Georgian government hosted the Russian Minister of Chechen Affairs, Mr. Iliasov, who, inter alia, visited Pankisi Gorge to persuade refugees to go back to Chechnya. In spite of Iliasov’s promises to provide free transportation, pay compensations for destroyed property, etc., not a single Chechen refugee accepted his offer. The main purpose of Iliasov’s visit was to sign a protocol with the Georgian Interior Ministry under which Georgia undertook to encourage the Chechen refugees to go back to Chechnya. Remarkably, international organizations, NGOs, other independent stakeholders and the Ministry of Justice which is normally in charge of issues like these, were not invited to take part in this process. Furthermore, under the protocol, the Georgian Interior Ministry guaranteed the safety and security of Chechen refugees in Chechnya, although it is not clear what mechanisms are available to the Georgian Interior Ministry to control the situation in Chechnya and to hold the Russian government responsible if safety and security are not observed. There was reason to believe, therefore, that by entrusting such an important mission to the Ministry of Interior, the government of Georgia will use illegitimate mechanisms, including intimidation and blackmailing, to force the Chechens to go back to Chechnya.

Although there was a medical clinic in Pankisi Gorge, the health status of many refugees remained deplorable due to a desperate shortage of medical supplies. After going through the horrors of war and brutal treatment, most Chechen refugees suffered from various serious psychosomatic disorders which could not be handled by the elementary medical care that was available to them.

There were virtually no opportunities for paid employment or self-employment for refugees. The Chechens received no allowance and depended entirely on rations provided by the UNHCR. Elementary schools for refugee children did exist in Pankisi Gorge, but the quality of education was very poor as there was an inadequate supply of textbooks. Teachers were not paid.

As an alternative to the prolonged stay of Chechen refugees in Georgia, which apparently was not welcomed by the Georgian government and, due to insecurity and exposure to a number of dangers in Georgia, including potential forcible return, many Chechens applied to third countries for admission. The UNHCR adopted the strategy of resettlement of Chechen refugees to a “safe third country,” excluding Russia.

In May 2003, representatives of IHF and its affiliate, the Caucasian Centre for Human Rights, held meetings with the representatives of Chechen refugees in Tbilisi. In a letter to the UNHCR, the IHF expressed great concern regarding the situation of refugees. In October, another fact-finding mission was carried out to Pankisi Gorge. It was carried out jointly with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Caucasian Centre for Human Rights (Caucasia)."

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11.03.2004 - Source: EurasiaNet

Interview with NGO-lawyer on Chechens reportedly extradited to Russia ("The Case Of The Disappearing Chechens Continues To Stir Controversy In Georgia") [#20435],  [ID 5399]

Document(s): Open document

18.02.2004 - Source: Prima News

Georgia: Two Chechen refugees allegedly illegally turned over to Moscow; according to the Chechen International Committee for the Defence of Human Rights the suggestion is supported by reliabl evidence ("Chechen refugees suspect that two Chechens were illegally turned over to Moscow") [#19439],  [ID 5400]

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12.02.2004 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Report on the situation of Chechen refugees in Georgia ("Fact-Finding Mission to Georgia 21 – 27 October 2003") [#19300],  [ID 5401]

"Recent Developments: Fall of 2003

Many of the Chechen refugees have stayed in Pankisi for four years. The situation in Chechnya has so far not improved. The armed conflict continues, the crime rate is extremely high and there is virtually no accountability even for abuses that constitute crimes against humanity. On the other hand, the refugees, especially the approximately 500 who live in collective centers, live in difficult conditions in overcrowded facilities that were never meant as premises for living, and certainly not for housing people for years on end.

Although basic needs are covered, the social situation is difficult and many of the refugees suffer from forms of post-traumatic stress. Based on the recognition that the status quo for the refugees is untenable in the long run, the UNHCR is currently working to resettle the refugees in third countries based on priority criteria, while negotiating with Georgia on the possible naturalisation of most of the other refugees.

In September 2003, prior to the Presidential elections in Chechnya, Russian officials headed by the Federal Minister for Chechnya, Stanislav Ilyasov, visited Georgia in order to persuade the refugees to return to Chechnya. While in Georgia, Ilyasov apparently signed a protocol with the Georgian Ministry of the Interior, under which Georgia undertook to encourage the return of the refugees to Chechnya. Although few refugees at the time accepted the invitation to return, citing the lack of security in the republic as the main obstacle, independent domestic monitors worry that the involvement of the Ministry of Interior (instead of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation or the Ministry of Justice) in the issue of refugee return could result in increased and undue pressure on the Chechen refugees in Georgia. According to international monitors, the distribution of aid to the refugees by Georgian authorities was delayed for some time following the visit of the Russian delegation.

Although the level of reported violations of the rights of the refugees have dropped since the anti-terrorist operation of the fall of 2002, an incident in October 2003 illustrates the continued concern for the safety of the refugees in Georgia. In the early morning of 11 October 2003, masked and armed personnel from Georgian law enforcement agencies raided houses in the villages of Omalo and Khalatsani in Pankisi. In Omalo the Georgian agents apprehended Adam Makalov and Vakha Bugiev. In Khalatsani, the agents detained Musa Islamov. The three men were all from Chechnya. Two of them had previously been registered as refugees by the UNHCR, but none of them had re-registered during the summer and fall of 2003. At the end of October 2003, the charges against them were not known. It was also uncertain were they were kept, making relatives and independent monitors suspect that they had been extradicted to Russia without due process.

However, according to information later obtained by the UNHCR, who intervened in the case, it turned out that the three men were released after a reported 8 days. They had been kept in a detention facility in Telavi and had not been physically maltreated. When released, they were instructed to register as refugees, thereby legalizing their presence in Georgia.

The fact that the information obtained by the UNHCR, according to which the men were released around 20 October, contradicts statements by refugees and on-site international representatives that they were still missing from Pankisi a week after that, underlines the difficulties of obtaining reliable information in Georgia, but also the continued uncertain situation for the Chechen refugees."

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02.09.2003 - Source: Civil Georgia

Russian Minister for Chechnya Stanislav Iliasov told reporters in Tbilisi that Moscow will guarantee security for Chechen refugees willing to return to Chechnya ("Russia Vows to Provide Security for Chechen Refugees") [#15660],  [ID 5402]

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02.09.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

Representatives from the Russian delegation and the Interior Ministry of Georgia today set up a special commission that will work on the repatriation of Chechen refugees to their homes ("Georgian-Russian Joint Commission will Work for Chechens’ Repatriation (UNAG)") [#15658],  [ID 5403]

Document(s): Open document

22.07.2003 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Statements of interview partners with regard to the general situation of Chechen refugees in Georgia ("Reisebericht Georgien 18. - 25. Mai 2003") [#14436],  [ID 5404]

"Bis Mitte 2002 seien von UNHCR insgesamt 8.000 tschetschenische Flüchtlinge registriert worden. Für das vom Zustrom der Flüchtlinge am meisten betroffene Pankisi-Tal habe UNHCR Hilfsprogramme finanziert. Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass sich ein großer Teil der lokalen Kist-Bevölkerung und einzelne tschetschenische Kämpfer, die im nahe zu Tschetschenien gelegenen Pankisi-Tal Unterschlupf gefunden hatten, sich ebenfalls als Flüchtlinge registrieren ließen, habe die georgische Regierung mit Unterstützung von UNHCR im April 2002 erneut versucht, die Zahl tschetschenischer Flüchtlinge in Georgien zu erheben. Nach der zweiten Registrierung wurden 4.000 tschetschenische Flüchtlinge im Pankisi-Tal und 150 in Tbilisi gezählt.50 Ein starker Zustrom von Flüchtlingen aus Tschetschenien sei allerdings nicht mehr zu verzeichnen. Man gehe davon aus, dass seit April 2002 ca. 50-200 Flüchtlinge nach Georgien gekommen seien. Auch sei es nicht unwahrscheinlich, dass sich unter diesen bereits schon einmal Registrierte befänden. Die russischen Behörden hätten nach Angaben von UNHCR nach der April-Registrierung die Liste mit Namen der Flüchtlinge gefordert, die georgische Regierung habe aber versichert, die
Namen der registrierten Flüchtlinge nicht an Moskau weitergegeben zu haben. 51
Im Juni 2003 wurde erneut von UNHCR und dem Ministerium für Flüchtlinge und deren Unterbringung eine Registrierung durchgeführt, der zufolge die Zahl tschetschenischer Flüchtlinge im Pankisi-Tal zurückgegangen sei.52 Ein großer Teil der Flüchtlinge im Pankisi-Tal sei bei Gastfamilien untergebracht.53
Durch die auf amerikanischen und russischen Druck hin durchgeführten Anti-Terror- Operationen solle sich die Sicherheitslage im Pankisi-Tal nach Angaben von UNHCR zwar gebessert haben, die erneuten Konfrontation mit Spezialoperationen sei aber besonders für die traumatisierte Flüchtlingsbevölkerung sehr belastend gewesen.
Mit Unterstützung von UNHCR berieten derzeit zwei Juristen tschetschenische Flüchtlinge. Im Mittelpunkt der Rechtsberatung stünden insbesondere Fragen der Registrierung und Wiederansiedlung. Bis vor einiger Zeit sei es im Pankisi-Tal sehr schwierig gewesen aufgrund von Korruption, fehlender Information, hoher Kosten und mangelnder technischer Voraussetzungen für Neugeborene Geburtsurkunden ausstellen zu lassen. Mit Hilfe von UNHCR gebe es jetzt zumindest genügend Formulare für die Registrierung der Neugeborenen."

Document(s): Open document

22.07.2003 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Statements of interview partners with regards to the situation of ethnic Chechens ("Reisebericht Georgien 18. - 25. Mai 2003") [#14436],  [ID 5405]

"Die georgische Regierung habe sich in der Vergangenheit zwar wiederholt für die Repatriierung der tschetschenischen Flüchtlinge ausgesprochen, auf der anderen Seite aber immer wieder auf ihre Bereitschaft hingewiesen, die Flüchtlinge so lange zu schützen, wie es notwendig sei.54 Dennoch seien im August 2002 fünf von 13 wegen illegalem Grenzübertritt verhaftete Tschetschenen ohne Auslieferungsverfahren unmittelbar nach ihrer Festnahme nach
Tschetschenien zurückgeschickt worden. Alle 13 hätten sofort nach ihrem Aufgriff bei den georgischen Behörden um Asyl angesucht.
Im Dezember 2002 seien fünf tschetschenische Flüchtlinge von georgischen Sicherheitskräften in Akhmeta geschlagen und anschließend verhaftet worden. Zwei von ihnen seien nach drei Tagen mit der Auflage freigelassen worden, innerhalb von 72 Stunden Georgien zu verlassen. Einer der Tschetschenen, der wegen Drogenbesitzes verhaftet worden sei, habe UNHCR Mitarbeitern berichtet, in Telavi gefoltert worden zu sein. Eine strafrechtliche Verfolgung des Falles sei inzwischen aufgrund mangelnder Beweise abgebrochen worden.
Am 7. Dezember 2002 habe es in Tbilisi eine Spezialoperation gegeben. Alle in Tbilisi lebenden Tschetschenen seien aufgerufen worden, um fünf Uhr morgens auf der zuständigen Polizeistation zu erscheinen. Dort solle man von ihnen Fingerabdrücke, Fotos und sogar Videoaufzeichnungen gemacht haben. Nach Angaben der Behörden wäre dieses Vorgehen nicht gegen tschetschenische Flüchtlinge gerichtet, sondern eine notwendige Maßnahme zur Bekämpfung der illegalen Migration gewesen.
Von unregelmäßig statt findenden Verhaftungen von Flüchtlingen höre UNHCR meistens erst zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt. UNHCR verfüge in diesem Zusammenhang über keine genauen Informationen, räume aber ein, dass es zu Misshandlungen während solcher Verhaftungen kommen könne."

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22.07.2003 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Access to health care for Chechen refugees ("Reisebericht Georgien 18. - 25. Mai 2003") [#14436],  [ID 5406]

"Die medizinische Hilfe und Nahrungsmittelversorgung im Pankisi-Tal werde durch lokale
NGOs und die Weltgesundheitsorganisation unterstützt. Psychologische Hilfe und
Versorgung gebe es allerdings keine. In Akhmeta gebe es ein Bezirkskrankenhaus, das
allerdings nur sehr schlecht ausgestattet sei. Die Zuweisung tschetschenischer Flüchtlinge
nehme die lokale NGO TAG – Technical Assistance Georgia vor. Medikamente würden
zusätzlich von MSF bereitgestellt. Auch wenn es wiederholt zu Beschwerden über eine
angeblich unfaire Verteilung von Medikamenten gekommen sei, gehe UNHCR nicht davon
aus, dass solche Unregelmäßigkeiten auf Verschulden von TAG zurückzuführen seien. TAG
halte sich bei der Verteilung von Medikamenten an Flüchtlinge an die internationalen
Richtlinien der Weltgesundheitsorganisation.
Die ca. 150 in Tbilisi verbleibenden tschetschenischen Flüchtlinge würden allerdings keine
Unterstützung durch UNHCR erhalten. Hier gebe es auch außer in Notfällen keine kostenlose
medizinische Behandlung."

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22.07.2003 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Access to education for Chechen refugee children ("Reisebericht Georgien 18. - 25. Mai 2003") [#14436],  [ID 5407]

"Offiziell sei sowohl die Grundschuldbildung als auch die höhere Schuldbildung kostenlos. In der Praxis hätten Kinder tschetschenischer Flüchtlingsfamilien nach Angaben von UNHCR zwar Zugang zu Grund- und Mittelschulen, Probleme gebe es allerdings beim Zugang zu Universitäten. Nur eine sehr kleine Zahl tschetschenischer Jugendlicher könne sich den Besuch von Hochschulen leisten. UNHCR versuche bei der Vermittlung von Studienstipendien behilflich zu sein. Auch in Tbilisi sei der Schulbesuch offiziell gratis. Tschetschenische Flüchtlingskinder hätten hier allerdings genauso wie Kinder der Allgemeinbevölkerung ca. 5 Lari pro Monat an ihre Lehrer zu bezahlen."

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01.07.2003 - Source: Civil Georgia

The Tbilisi District Court ruled on June 30 that the cancellation of the refugee status for Ruslan Gelogaev, which is wanted by Russia for alleged links with Chechen rebels, was illegal ("Alleged Chechen Militant Avoids Extradition") [#13984],  [ID 5408]

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28.05.2003 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Chechen refugee, Hussein Yusupov, disappeared on 25 September 2002, after he had been unlawfully detained in the anti-terrorism center of the State Security Service in Tbilisi ("Open Letter to the President of Georgia, Mr. Shevarnadze, on the Disappearance of Chechen Student") [#13137],  [ID 5409]

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25.03.2003 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch: U.S.-supported anti-terror measures in Georgia have focused on the Pankisi Gorge and on Georgia's Chechen population ("In the Name of Counter-Terrorism: Human Rights Abuses Worldwide") [#11602],  [ID 5410]

"U.S.-supported anti-terror measures in Georgia have focused on the Pankisi Gorge and on Georgia's Chechen population. In implementing these measures the government has committed serious human rights violations, which it refuses to address. President Eduard Shevardnadze indicated the government's attitude toward observing human rights in its counter-terrorism campaign on October 5, 2002, one day after Georgia had extradited five Chechens to Russia without due process, when he said: "International human rights commitments might become pale in comparison with the importance of the anti-terrorist campaign.
[...]
Georgian operations in the Pankisi Gorge at times have been arbitrary and brutal. Georgian forces have committed at least one extrajudicial execution, several "disappearances," summary extraditions, arbitrary detentions, and discrimination on the basis of racial and ethnic identity.
[...]
Human Rights Watch has documented four "disappearances," one extrajudicial execution, and cases of incommunicado detention, attributable to Georgian security forces engaged in counter-terrorism.

On April 28, 2002 three men of Arab origin "disappeared" after a uniformed military detachment detained them from their car. Witnesses reported that the troops handcuffed the men's driver, Vizuri Khangoshvili, shot him fatally in the stomach, and left him in a ditch. TIME magazine reported that this action was carried out on the basis of "real time intelligence" provided by the United States.22

On September 25, 2002, Chechen refugee Hussein Yussupov "disappeared" while in Security Ministry detention after being detained for five days in the Pankisi Gorge.

On December 6, 2002, a National Security Ministry unit killed four of the five passengers of a car traveling near Lagodekhi, eastern Georgia. No government investigation into these killings has been undertaken. Two of the passengers were from the Russian north Caucasus Karachai-Cherkess Republic, and had been implicated by Russia in the Moscow and Volgodonsk apartment block bombings of September 1999. One of the two, Yusuf Krymshamkhalov, survived the incident and was summarily extradited the next day to Russia. This was despite a new extradition appeals procedure instituted by the Supreme Court in late October 2002.
[...]
In a massive passport check in Tbilisi on December 7, 2002, police briefly detained nearly one hundred ethnic Chechens, including some minors. Given the context, many in Georgia believed this operation to be connected with counter-terrorism efforts, though no offical publicly linked the two. The Interior Ministry spokesman fended off accusations that the detainees were targeted due to their Chechen ethnicity with the comment: "We also took seven Negroes.25" The Interior Ministry spokesman stated that the operation was undertaken on U.S. recommendation, and in newspaper interviews, the U.S. ambassador expressed cautious approval for the operation."

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01.2003 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Report on current human rights problems of Chechen refugees in the context of broad anti-terrorist operations ("Chechen Refugees in Georgia - Pankisi Gorge and Akhmeta - Report by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), jointly with the Caucasian Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Studies (CAUCASIA)") [#10702],  [ID 5411]

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20.11.2002 - Source: Refugees International

Refugees International: Humanitarian situation of Chechen refugees in the Pankisi Gorge ("Chechen Refugees in Georgia: Grateful, but Still Seeking Safety and Support") [#9697],  [ID 5412]

"The refugees are concerned about the lack of economic opportunity. There is little chance for employment, including few prospects for young people to use their skills. "Families get money where they can. Most live from month to month," reported one aid worker. "It is the ones in Pankisi who are really desperate and have a lot of needs --- finding food and dwellings." In the Gorge, the majority of the refugees live among the mostly supportive local population, though their hosts are growing weary of the burden. There are few solutions to the overcrowding because there is nowhere for the ‘guests’ to relocate to, and there is no more space available in public buildings. In addition, the majority of the households do not have regular electricity or gas. Those who don’t have wood for heat ask children to collect it. The water situation has improved recently with help of non-governmental agencies, but there is need for further efforts. "It is such a situation that I would not let the enemy live here," one refugee told RI.

Families who live in the Pankisi describe challenges of educating their children due to organizational problems, poor attendance due to illness and lack of ability to focus, and the level of education itself (teachers who have not been paid in years or are volunteers and lack of textbooks in some classes). "Our children have no future," one parent remarked. Non-emergency medical care is also a concern. "Unless there is severe need, they won’t take patients," RI was told."

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24.09.2002 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe: Presence of Chechens in the Pankisi Gorge ("Situation in Georgia and the consequences for the stability of the Caucasus region [Doc. 9564]") [#10596],  [ID 5413]

"37. The most serious concerns have been expressed about the presence of Chechens in the Pankissi Valley, situated around 35 kilometres north of Tbilissi. This valley is generally considered as a largely lawless area, mostly controlled by criminals and fighters. The Georgian authorities maintain that the Chechens, who live in the valley (possibly around 8.000 people), are refugees. The Russian authorities claim that the valley is used by Chechen fighters as a safe haven and a base for their operations in Russia.

38. Last year, the Georgian authorities accused Russia of bombarding its territory on the pretext of fighting Chechen terrorists. Russia strongly denied these accusations.

39. In the spring of 2002, the US government declared that Al-Qaida terrorists were hiding in the Pankissi Valley. The Georgian government accepted the presence of some 200 US instructors to help train the Georgian anti-terrorist units.

40. During the meeting with OSCE observers, I was told that while movements of smaller groups across the border with Russia could not be excluded (the border is in the mountains and difficult to survey), no major groups were spotted crossing the border. The OSCE is keeping a list of border incidents, but they are relatively few and of minor importance. Furthermore, the border is practically closed by snow during winter times.

41. In these circumstances, it does not seem likely that the Pankissi valley serves in any meaningful manner as an active base for the Chechen fighters. It is, nevertheless, impossible to claim that there has not been a presence of Chechen fighters there. The lawless situation in Pankissi undoubtedly represents a security threat both to Georgia and to Russia. Both countries have an interest in collaborating in order to solve this situation, while fully respecting the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. I welcome the declared willingness of the Georgian government to restore the rule of law in the Pankissi valley

42. However, the situation has been severely aggravated by the declaration of the President of the Russian Federation of 11 September 2002, which contained the threat of using unilateral military action based on Article 51 of the UN Charta against suspected terrorists on Georgian territory, but also expected Georgian agreement on joint efforts during the next CIS Summit on 7 October 2002. In response hereto, the Georgian President invited on 13 September a monitoring mission to the Pankissi valley by the OSCE including Russian participation."

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19.09.2002 - Source: ReliefWeb

RFE/RL: 12 Chechens detained and one killed in antiterrorism operation in Pankisi Gorge by Georgian police and special forces ("Twelve Chechens detained, one killed in Pankisi sweep (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)") [#8637],  [ID 5414]

"In line with Georgian President Shevardnadze's 17 September statement that every village and every house in the Pankisi Gorge will be searched during the ongoing antiterrorism operation, Georgian police and special forces launched a search on 18 September of three villages, Caucasus Press reported. Twelve Chechen men who had no documents were detained and large quantities of arms, computer equipment, and Islamic literature were confiscated, Interfax quoted Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Paata Gomelauri as saying. An unnamed Georgian Interior Ministry source told Interfax the same day that some of the detainees may be released. Later on 18 September, one Chechen died during a clash with Georgian forces at a checkpoint in Pankisi when a hand grenade in his possession exploded [...]"

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06.2002 - Source: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

US Committee for Refugees: 7,882 refugees from Chechnya officially registered by the Georgian authorities ("World Refugee Survey 2002 - Georgia") [#10678],  [ID 5415]

"Despite increasing pressure from the Russian Federation to control what the Russian government termed a hotbed of Chechen terrorism in Georgia’s Pankisi Valley, Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze declared in a November radio address that the Chechens there were “not bandits and