07.02.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

According to human rights activists, in Chechnya criminal cases are often fabricated, and the Chechen prosecutor's office can't be regarded as independent ("Russian Prison Hell for Chechens") [ID 18541]

"Human rights activists say that in Chechnya, cases are often fabricated against people who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. “The classic method of rigging criminal cases goes as follows,” said Yekaterina Sokiryanskaya of the human rights organisation Memorial. “As a rule, people in masks come and take a man away, showing no documents and saying nothing to his relatives. Then they use illegal interrogation methods to force him to confess. They employ torture, beatings and threats of sexual violence – the latter being especially effective. After that, people are ready to sign anything and confess to any crime. Then the charges are put into a legal format in the investigation cell, and formalised in the pre-trial detention centre.” Sokiryanskaya said interrogators often beat detainees with plastic bottles filled with water so as to avoid leaving physical traces of abuse. “When a man is subjected to unlawful treatment, what’s the guarantee that he is guilty?” asked Sokiryanskaya. “Some human rights organisations try to help, and there are lawyers who really defend people, and from time to time good decisions are taken. “But even when attempts to rig a criminal case are exposed in court, the policemen involved are never convicted. Criminal cases get fabricated everywhere in the North Caucasus, but in Chechnya the practice is especially conspicuous.”“They use all the criminal charges that they can muster,” added Elsunkayev. “These include participation in illegal armed groups, brigandage, terrorism, the murder of one or more policemen, or illegal possession of arms. We have files on cases involving young men who were convicted under all these gruesome articles of Russia’s criminal code.”Another human rights activist, Shamil Tangiev of Memorial, said the Chechen prosecutor’s office could not be regarded as independent and was cooperating with other official bodies.“We believe the courts, the prosecutor’s office, and the investigative bodies are united in a cover-up,” said Tangiev."

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24.03.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

UN human rights commissioner expresses "very serious concerns" about Chechnya’s law enforcement system, especially refering to the use of torture to extract confessions and information and the intimidation of people who make complaints against public officials ("UN Human Rights Chief distressed by Chechnya’s law enforcement system (UN News Service)") [#47383],  [ID 16034]

"After a second visit to the Russian Federation that included time in the troubled region of Chechnya, the United Nations top human rights official said today in Moscow that she had “very serious concerns” about Chechnya’s law enforcement system. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said she found two phenomena particularly disturbing: the use of torture to extract confessions and information, and the intimidation of people who make complaints against public officials. “There can be little doubt that these phenomena are more than allegations, but have considerable basis in fact,” said Ms. Arbour at a press conference as she wrapped up a six-day trip that included visits with leaders in Ingushetia, Chechnya and North Ossetia. She also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior federal officials, including the President’s advisor on human rights, Ella Pamfilova. Ms. Arbour said that credible information emanating from Chechnya and several judgments by the European Court of Human Rights highlight the serious shortcomings of the law enforcement system in Chechnya, where the Government is embroiled in a long-running war with separatists. The UN’s human rights commissioner said she left the region with the impression that even with its ongoing political and physical reconstruction, Chechnya still has not shifted from a society ruled by force to one governed by the rule of law."

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07.11.2005 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Prisoners in Chechnya get the chance to appeal to human rights organisations ("Tschetschenien: Update: Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien, Inguschetien, Dagestan und anderen Teilen der Russischen Föderation") [#38928],  [ID 16035]

"Zumindest einen kleinen Schritt zur Verbesserung der Rechtssicherheit hat der Föderale Strafvollzugsdienst UFSIN im Sommer 2005 unternommen, in dem er den Untersuchungsgefängnissen (im russ. Sprachgebrauch «Isolatoren») vorgeschrieben hat, Adressen von Menschenrechtsorganisationen und des Menschenrechts-Bevollmächtigten der Republik aufzuhängen. Damit verbunden ist die Idee, dass die Verhafteten über ihre Behandlung schriftlich Zeugnis ablegen können. Diese können in einem Strafverfahren weniger schnell unter den Tisch gewischt werden. Und offenbar nützen die Verhafteten die neue Möglichkeit rege: Seit August sind bei verschiedenen tschetschenischen Menschenrechts-Organisationen unzählige schriftliche Klagen über Misshandlungen eingetroffen. Sie sind alle ähnlichen Inhalts: Die Untersuchungshäftlinge werden offenbar systematisch vergewaltigt und gefoltert.27 Die Menschenrechtsaktivisten zeigen sich erschüttert von den brutalen Methoden der «Gesetzeshüter», die meist selbst Tschetschenen sind. Oft handelten sie äusserst sadistisch, hart und perfid, mit dem alleinigen Ziel, aus verhafteten Bürgern «geständige Schuldige» zu formen.28 Die Erfassung der Klagen ist ein wichtiger Schritt, ein weiterer wäre die Untersuchung der Vorfälle. Letztere anzuordnen, liegt in den Händen der tschetschenischen Verwaltung, an welche die Klagen weitergeleitet werden. Gemäss dem «Komitee für die Einhaltung der Verfassungsrechte der russländischen Bürger, die auf dem Territorium der Tschetschenischen Republik wohnen» hat die Verwaltung bislang jedoch sehr wenig Interesse gezeigt, diesen Klagen nachzugehen.29 Weil lokale und regionale Untersuchungen in der Regel erfolglos bleiben, wenden sich immer mehr TschetschenInnen mit Hilfe internationaler Organisationen an den Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte.30 Obwohl viele von ihnen von den Sicherheitskräften eingeschüchtert, misshandelt oder einzelne sogar getötet worden sind, nimmt die Zahl der eingereichten Klagen laufend zu.31"

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10.2005 - Source: UK Home Office

Independent Commission on Human Rights heard hundreds of complaints, but not empowered to investigate or prosecute; had to refer complaints to military or civil prosecutors ("Operation Guidance Note: Russian Federation") [#39393],  [ID 16036]

"The Independent Commission on Human Rights in the Northern Caucasus headed by the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Legislation maintained a number of offices in Chechnya and Ingushetiya. This organization heard hundreds of complaints from citizens, ranging from destruction or theft of property to rape and murder; however, it was not empowered to investigate or prosecute alleged offences and had to refer complaints to military or civil prosecutors. Almost all complainants alleged violations of military discipline and other common crimes."

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30.08.2005 - Source: BBC News

4 Russian soldiers found not guilty of killing 6 Chechens must face a retrial, after Supreme Court judges ruled that there had been "considerable violations" of criminal rules during the case ("Russia troops in new murder trial") [#36030],  [ID 16037]

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19.05.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Small number of cases of human rights abuse reached courts, hardly anyone convicted; most investigations either prematurely closed or remained pending for prolonged periods ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2005 (Events 2004)") [#32117],  [ID 16038]

"A climate of impunity for abuses continued to prevail in Chechnya. Local residents were reluctant to complain to authorities about alleged abuses committed by federal or local forces because they lacked confidence that their complaints would be effectively dealt with and because they feared possible reprisals. Many were also afraid to speak with human rights monitors and journalists. When investigations were opened into complaints filed, they were typically not thoroughly conducted and even basic steps, such as questioning eyewitnesses and relatives, were not taken. Most investigations were either prematurely closed or remained pending for prolonged periods. Only a very small number of cases reached the courts and hardly anyone guilty of abuse has been convicted. There were also reports indicating that law enforcement officials who showed readiness to deal effectively with reported abuses jeopardized their own security. Rashid Ozdoev, deputy director of Ingushetia who had been investigating abuses related to the conflict in Chechnya, was “disappeared” on 11 March by men believed to represent the Ingush FSB. An investigation was opened by the Ingush Prosecutor’s Office but remained ineffective. Ozdoev’s father, Boris Ozdoev, undertook his own investigation and identified an FSB officer who admitted in front of a traditional council composed of elders of his family and relatives of Ozdoev that he had been involved in the abduction of Ozdoev. Ozdoev’s relatives taped this statement and subsequently handed the tape to the Prosecutor’s Office. In a resolution adopted in 2001, the UN Human Rights Commission called on the Russian government to set up a national broad-based and independent commission to investigate alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Chechnya. The Russian government has persistently failed to comply with this recommendation."

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10.05.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Only few cases of human rights violations perpetrated in Chechnya have been reportedly investigated and prosecuted ("IHF Appeals for Effective Human Rights Dialogue and More Attention to Abuses in Chechnya on the Eve of the EU-Russia Summit in Moscow on 10 May 2005") [#31963],  [ID 16039]

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08.07.2004 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

According to European court of Human Rights no efficient legal remedy against human rights abuses ("Tschetschenische Asylsuchende: Positionspapier der Schweizerischen Flüchtlingshilfe") [#24067],  [ID 16040]

"Wie der Europäische Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte festgestellt hat, gibt es in Tschetschenien kein effizientes Rechtsmittel gegen Menschenrechtsverletzungen. Diese werden weder richtig ermittelt, noch verfolgt. Insbesondere russische Sicherheitskräfte operieren in einem quasi-straffreien Raum. Etwa fünfzig Militärangehörige sind seit Kriegsbeginn wegen verschiedener Straftaten gegen Zivilpersonen verurteilt worden. Gegen die Verantwortlichen der schlimmsten Säuberungsaktionen mit besonders hoher Zahl von Opfern wurden bis zum heutigen Tag nicht einmal Ermittlungsverfahren eröffnet."

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02.02.2004 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Access to justice continues to be a severe problem for victims of human rights abuses or their family members; threats against complainants are frequent ("Position paper of the world organisation against torture") [#19099],  [ID 16041]

"Access to justice is also a severe problem in Chechnya for victims of human rights abuses or their family members. The justice system in Chechnya is plagued by corruption, long arduous procedures, jurisdictional issues as well as frequent threats against complainants. In the few instances where complaints have been successfully brought before the courts, military personnel who have committed grave human rights abuses reportedly receive minimum punishment, if they are punished at all. These obstacles often prevent victims from receiving adequate redress and reparation for the abuse they have suffered and perpetuate the system of impunity throughout Chechnya."

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11.04.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Chechnya: the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution proposing an international war crimes tribunal to deal with war crimes in Chechnya ("Chechnya Tribunal Proposed") [#13328],  [ID 16042]

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