11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

In July 2006 government issued partial amnesty for militants who surrendered by January 15; President Kadyrov rejected any further amnesty opportunities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22593]

"In July 2006, following the death of terrorist warlord Shamil Basayev, the government issued a partial amnesty for militants who surrendered by January 15. The amnesty did not apply to militants suspected of crimes such as rape, murder, or terrorism. The amnesty also applied to servicemen, with the exception of those accused of selling or stealing weapons. According to the FSB, 546 militants surrendered during the designated period. On June 15, in a media announcement, Chechnya President Kadyrov rejected any further amnesty opportunities for those who had not surrendered."

Document(s): Open document

16.05.2007 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

According to numerous testimonies civilians most at risk of persecutions are amnestied militants and their relatives; they are abducted and tortured, frequently with the purpose of fabricating criminal cases against them; some are extra-judicially executed ("Amnestied People as Targets for Persecution in Chechnya") [ID 20713]

For detailed information on "Amnesty"cases during and after the Chechen wars and on background of contemporary "Amnesty" process in Chechnya please see the report.

"Following the death on 10 July 2006 of Shamil Basaev, the leader of a Chechen armed resistance fraction responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) director Nikolai Patrushev, on behalf of the anti-terrorist committee of the Russian Federation, called on all members of illegal armed groups in Chechnya to lay down their arms within two weeks. An official text spelling out the conditions for the amnesty, and marking the 15 January 2007 as the final deadline, was adopted only in late September, when the Russian State Duma quickly passed a draft law put forward by President Putin. (...)

Unfortunately, according to numerous testimonies civilians most at risk of persecutions are amnestied militants and their relatives. They are abducted and tortured, frequently with the purpose of fabricating criminal cases against them. Some are extra-judicially executed.

Many individuals were forced into an “amnesty” as a result of torture, threats or coercion. Others were persuaded to do that by the law-enforcement agencies and the local administrations, which were interested in showing impressive numbers of the surrendered fighters to raise their status in the eyes of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and his team. Yet, again others were supporters of the separatist movement, but never took part in the actual fighting and either have did services or none at all to the armed rebels, but who thought going through the amnesty process would improve their security situation and that of their families. Notably, many of those individuals were persecuted (including abducted, tortured and killed) after their "amnesty". In one more case a person, according to his own words, was simply tired of hiding and wanted to live a normal life. However, that individual admitted that he made a decision to surrender after his brother had been arrested."

Document(s): Press Release
Report

26.04.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Latest amnesty for rebels yielded poor results; many rebels who surrender on their own initiative and do not enjoy protection from senior figures in the Chechen administration risk being re-arrested ("Chechnya: A Dubious Amnesty") [ID 19771]

"The Russian state has declared several amnesties since conflict began in Chechnya in 1994. The latest one, covering the entire North Caucasus region, was announced on September 22, 2006. The move followed the killing of leading Chechen militant Shamil Basayev last July, when the head of the Russian National Anti-terrorism Committee - and head of the FSB counter-intelligence service - Nikolai Patrushev called on militants to lay down their arms by August 1. However, “Patrushev’s amnesty” yielded poor results, and the deadline for surrender was extended until September. On September 22, a committee from Russia’s State Duma issued a report on the pardon. The National Anti-terrorism Committee reported that more than 500 men had taken up the amnesty, which expired on January 15. Most surrenders occurred in Chechnya, with only a few taking place in other parts of the North Caucasus.

The committee said that the number included relatives of separatist president Doku Umarov and former well-known militant Salman Raduyev. More impressive perhaps was that one of the leaders of the Chechen rebel movement in exile, Turpal Ali Kaimov, had chosen to return from Norway to take up the amnesty after negotiations with Chechen parliamentarian and former pro-independence defence minister Magomed Khanbiev. Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov said on January 15 that 439 people had given up their weapons in Chechnya itself. Russian security services say the number of those who’ve surrendered is roughly equal to that of militants still fighting in Chechnya’s highland forests.Kadyrov proudly told a press conference that all pardoned rebels would be given jobs in his security forces and that many of the men in the regiment named after his father, former Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov, were amnestied militants. “Amnestied men account for almost 90 per cent of the north and south battalions. Our task is not to kill, but to end the war, to save every person,” he said. However, evidence suggests that the only leading rebels who took up the offer did so after personal contact with – or coercion from – Kadyrov, while most of those who did surrender were minor figures. Moreover, many of those who are to surrender on their own initiative and do not enjoy protection from senior figures in the Chechen administration - like Magomedov - risk being re-arrested. "

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

According to legislation by State Duma of September 2006, militants in Chechnya and the North Caucasus were granted amnesty through January 15, 2007; as of December 25, 375 militants had surrendered to authorities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19299]

"Amnesty: In July, following the death of terrorist warlord Shamil Basayev, the government issued a partial amnesty, which gave militants two weeks to surrender. The original amnesty was extended through September 30. On September 23, the State Duma passed legislation to grant amnesty to militants in Chechnya and the North Caucasus through January 15, 2007. The amnesty requires militants to disarm and surrender themselves to authorities. According to the federal and Chechen Republic authorities, as of December 25, 375 militants had surrendered to authorities. The amnesty does not apply to militants suspected of crimes such as rape, murder, or terrorism. The amnesty also applies to servicemen but not to those accused of selling or stealing weapons."

Document(s): Open document

23.09.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

Amnesty for rebels and soldiers enters into force in Chechnya ("Amnesty for rebels, soldiers enters into force in Chechnya"), Autor: Agence France-Presse (AFP) [ID 17207]

Document(s): Open document

11.04.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

2 Chechen rebel fighters sentenced to life imprisonment; charges were terror-related ("Two Chechen Rebels Given Life Sentences") [#48877],  [ID 16630]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Amnesty-program for rebels ended in 2004 by Ramzan Kadyrov ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144],  [ID 16631]

"In April 2004 then-Chechen president Akhmed Kadyrov asked that the State Duma extend an amnesty that had expired in September 2003. In June 2004 following his assassination, his son Ramzan stated that the amnesty program should be ended and gave fighters three days to turn in their weapons. Ramzan Kadyrov subsequently made claims that rebels who surrendered had been amnestied, although there is no longer any official amnesty program."

Document(s): Open document

16.12.2005 - Source: Prima News

Former Chechen separatist Zaur Musikhanov submitted complaint to ECHR; he claims to have been illegaly refused amnesty ("Chechen Separatist Denied Amnesty") [#40730],  [ID 16632]

Document(s): Open document

01.12.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Chechnya: Supreme court sentenced 4 bodyguards of killed president Aslan Maskhadov to 6-15 years prison; all 4 were charged with participation in an illegal armed group and illegally carrying weapons ("Chechen Supreme Court Jails Maskhadov's Bodyguards") [#40000],  [ID 16633]

Document(s): Open document

18.05.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Nurpachi Kuliev, the only surviving militant of the Beslan siege, faces charges of terrorism, murder and hostage taking before North Ossetia court ("Russia: Sole Surviving Beslan Militant Goes On Trial") [#32144],  [ID 16634]

Document(s): Open document