06.2008 - Source: Freedom House

In 2007, the ECHR made several rulings against Russian actions in Chechnya, including the murder of activist Zura Bitiyeva who was killed after appealing to the ECHR ("Nations in Transit 2008") [ID 23758]

"In 2007, the ECHR made several rulings against Russian actions in Chechnya, including a determination that state agents had "extrajudicially executed" Zura Bitiyeva, a local human rights activist in Chechnya, along with three others in her home after she had appealed to the ECHR.

The case was the first in which someone had apparently been slain for appealing to the ECHR.

In July, the ECHR ruled that Russian soldiers had killed 50 civilians in the Chechen village of Novye Aldy in 2000 and ordered the government to pay US$200,000 to relatives of the deceased."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Government forces continued to abuse individuals seeking accountability for abuses in Chechnya and continued to harass those who appealed to the ECHR ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22612]

"Government forces continued to abuse individuals seeking accountability for abuses in Chechnya and continued to harass those who appealed to the ECHR. Amnesty International and other human rights groups have reported reprisals against applicants to the court, including killings, disappearances, and intimidation. According to press reports and human rights NGOs, at least five applicants to the ECHR have been killed or abducted. In its July 5 ruling in the case of Alikhadzhiyeva v. Russia, the ECHR noted that the relatives of disappeared persons and witnesses should be protected from intimidation and revenge."

Document(s): Open document

19.09.2007 - Source: Amnesty International

Amnesty International continues to receive reports of harassment and intimidation of those who turn to the courts in Russia or the European Court of Human Rights seeking justice ("Human rights concerns [EUR 46/040/2007]") [ID 21382]

"The European Court of Human Rights has delivered judgments in six cases from the Chechen Republic in 2007, finding Russia in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. In all of these cases the Court found Russia had failed to conduct effective, prompt and thorough investigations into the human rights violations alleged. Amnesty International is not aware of any case where the Russian authorities have brought to justice those responsible for the human rights violations detailed in these European Court judgments. At the same time, Amnesty International continues to receive reports of harassment and intimidation of those who turn to the courts in Russia or the European Court of Human Rights seeking justice."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Chechen authorities intimidate possible witnesses or applicants to the European Court of Human Rights, in some cases they abduct or even kill them ("Nordkaukasus; Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien sowie in Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkarien, Inguschetien und Nordossetien") [ID 18689]

"Mindestens 200 weitere Klagen aus Tschetschenien sind in Strassburg hängig. Und es wären noch mehr, wenn die Behörden in Tschetschenien nicht mögliche ZeugInnen oder KlägerInnen einschüchterten, entführten und manchmal auch ermordeten. Vor diesem Hintergrund bleibt die grosse Mehrheit der Menschenrechtsverletzungen nach wie vor ungeahndet, wie Human Rights Watch im erwähnten Bericht bestätigt."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Reprisals against applicants to the European Court of Human Rights reported, including killings, disappearances and intimidation ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144],  [ID 16048]

"Government forces continued to abuse individuals seeking accountability for abuses in Chechnya and continued to harass applicants to the ECHR. AI and other human rights groups have reported reprisals against applicants to the court, including killings, disappearances, and intimidation. According to press reports and human rights NGOs, at least five applicants to ECHR have been killed or abducted. In April armed men took two ECHR applicants from their homes. The body of one of them was found in May, and the other person was still missing. Other applicants reported that they were offered pay-offs or were threatened in an effort to have them drop their cases."

Document(s): Open document

08.02.2006 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Open Letter regarding the kidnapping, torture and apparent falsification of criminal case against Mekhti Mukhaev, Zumsoj village, who had appealed to European Court of Human Rights earlier ("Open Letter regarding the kidnapping, torture and apparent falsification of criminal case against Mekhti Mukhaev, Zumsoj village") [#44209],  [ID 16049]

Document(s): Open document

03.06.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Number of Chechen applicants to the ECHR have been subject to reprisals, ranging from harassment and threats to killings of applicants or their relatives ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation [Doc. 10568]") [#32710],  [ID 18444]

"We are extremely concerned about reports that a number of Chechen applicants to the European Court of Human Rights have been subject to reprisals. Such reprisals have ranged from harassment and threats, and in a couple of cases applicants or their close relatives have been killed. It appears that Chechen victims of human rights violations not only have extremely limited access to justice in the Russian Federation, but also that their lives are endangered when they attempt to seek justice through international mechanisms."

Document(s): Open document

19.05.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF): Chechnya: Increasing number of cases brought by Chechens to the ECHR; applicants to the ECHR subjected to persecution ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2005 (Events 2004)") [#32117],  [ID 16054]

"“Because of the minimal opportunities for obtaining redress within the Russian criminal justice system, an increasing number of Chechens brought their cases to the ECtHR. Human rights groups offered support for this purpose. In a highly worrisome trend, numerous applicants to the ECtHR were subjected to intimidation and harassment. At least four cases were documented in which applicants or their close relatives were beaten and two in which applicants had their homes arbitrarily searched. It was also believed that several people were killed because of applications filed with the ECtHR. In one case, the applicant went into hiding because of pressure and two applicants formally withdrew their applications, while another two reportedly were considering doing the same. According to organizations representing applicants to the ECtHR, a prompt intervention by the ECtHR in some cases helped ease pressure on individual applicants and their families. In April, 24-year-old Anzor Pokaev was abducted by Russian federal troops at his home in Starye Atagi and subsequently extra-judicially executed. Pokaev’s father, Sharfudin Sambiev, is one of 11 applicants in a case involving the “disappearance” of his younger son Amir Pokaev and eight other individuals during a large sweep operation in Starye Atagi in March 2002. Yakub Magomadov “disappeared” in May 2004. He had appealed to the ECtHR regarding his younger brother Aiubkhan Magomadov, who himself had “disappeared” in Chechnya on 2 October 2000.”"

Document(s): Open document

23.06.2004 - Source: Amnesty International

Reprisals against applicants to the European Court of Human Rights (""Normalization" in whose eyes?") [#23468],  [ID 16057]

"A variety of legal mechanisms exist in the Russian Federation to prosecute members of the armed forces for human rights violations. However, criminal investigations into such violations remain woefully inadequate, are frequently closed without a conclusion and the cases rarely ever get as far as a courtroom. Consequently, an increasing number of Chechens, having realized that the possibilities of redress within the framework of the Russian justice system exist primarily on paper, have decided to take their cases to the European Court of Human Rights. In doing so, they have unwittingly added a further element of risk to their lives. A number of applicants to the European Court of Human Rights have been subject to reprisals. Such reprisals have ranged from harassment and threats, and in a couple of cases18 applicants or their close relatives have been killed. It appears that Chechen victims of human rights violations not only have extremely limited access to justice in the Russian Federation, but also that their lives are endangered when they attempt to seek justice through international mechanisms."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

Individuals seeking accountability for abuses in Chechnya became the targets of government forces ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11858],  [ID 16058]

"Individuals seeking accountability for abuses in Chechnya became the targets of government forces. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), government troops in June detained Chechen Said-Magomed Imakayev, who had filed a case with the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the disappearance during detention by Russian forces of his son in 2000. HRW and Memorial reported that Malika Umazheva--a Chechen who until September served as the head of administration for Alkhan-Kala--was killed in November by government forces, in retribution for her outspokenness about abuses by Russian forces in her village. HRW also reported attacks by soldiers and Ingush policemen on activists of the Russia-Chechnya Friendship Society (a human rights monitoring and advocacy group), and that an activist with the same group, Luiza Betergeryeva, had been killed by Russian forces at a checkpoint in December 2001."

Document(s): Open document