31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Officials have claimed that conflict in Chechnya is “solved,” though sporadic armed clashes and counterinsurgency operations continue; local human rights groups documented 25 abductions leading to 5 disappearances by August 2007 ("World Report 2008") [ID 22470]

"Ramzan Kadyrov, a former security chief, became president of Chechnya and is presiding over significant reconstruction of civilian infrastructure, changing the face of Grozny, the capital. Russian federal and Chechen officials have claimed that the conflict in Chechnya is “solved,” though sporadic armed clashes and counterinsurgency operations continue. These are carried out chiefly by forces under Kadyrov’s command, known as “kadyrovtsy,” who torture those suspected of ties to rebels and hold them in unlawful detention, including in secret detention centers.

Local human rights groups continued to report a decline in the number of enforced disappearances, documenting 25 abductions leading to five disappearances by August 2007. However, few efforts have been made to address the cases of as many as 5,000 people “disappeared” since 1999."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Shift of government tactics away from operations involving Russian military formations and toward greater reliance on Chechen paramilitary and police units; fewer mopping-up operations (zachistki) and more targeted operations, such as night raids ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19303]

"The year saw a continued shift of government tactics away from operations involving Russian military formations and toward greater reliance on paramilitary and police units of the Chechen Republic or other Chechen units subordinated to the Ministry of Defense or the federal Ministry of Internal Affairs. There were fewer mopping up operations, known as "zachistki," than in previous years, although more targeted operations, such as night raids, continued. Memorial noted that these mop up operations were often conducted with no serious human rights abuses but that in some cases such operations were accompanied by abductions, looting, and beatings. Chechen security forces were nominally under the control of Chechen Republic civilian authorities but also often conducted operations jointly with federal forces. In reality, Chechen security forces were under the command of Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov and often appeared to act with relative independence. The limited measures taken by the federal and Chechen leaders to rein them in have been largely ineffective."

Document(s): Open document

03.08.2006 - Source: Memorial Human Rights Center

Zachistkas (mop-up operations) carried out by local and federal security agencies jointly or saparately ("On the Situation of Residents of Chechnya in the Russian Federation (July 2005-July 2006)") [ID 17772]

For information on specific incidents please see the report

"Sometimes local and federal security agencies carry out zachistkas [mop-up operations] jointly, sometimes they do them separately. As a rule, the Russian laws and military regulations for conducting such special operations are not observed in carrying out zachistkas. Armed people who enter the homes virtually never introduce themselves or say what agency they belong to. The faces of the people who carry out zachistkas, are often hidden behind the masks and, as a rule, they use vehicles without license plates. People who find themselves in the hands of officers from such organizations “disappear” for the outside world. They are held in illegal prisons for several days and are not officially regis-tered as detained or arrested persons. The abducted people are tortured to coerce “confessionary” statements, which are subsequently used to trump up criminal cases. Upon receipt of the required information, they are “dumped” near adjacent villages or returned to relatives for ransom. Before their release people are warned to keep silent, lest they be detained again. Approximately half of the abductees disappear without a trace. Officially the arrests or detentions are registered only at the moment when the captured persons are handed over to FSB or MVD agencies."

Document(s): Russian-language report
English-language report

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Federal forces and pro-Moscow Chechen militias commonly detained Chechen men along Chechen-Ingushetian border in targeted operations known as "night raids" or during "mopping‑up" operations ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144],  [ID 16192]

"There were credible reports that security forces continued regularly to single out persons from the Caucasus for document checks, detention, and the extortion of bribes (see section 2.d.). According to NGOs, federal forces and pro-Moscow Chechen militias commonly detained Chechen men at checkpoints along the borders between Chechnya and Ingushetiya in targeted operations known as "night raids," or during "mopping‑up" operations following military hostilities. Detainees were often beaten or tortured. Human rights groups also reported that security forces increasingly detained women."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Shift of Russian tactics toward targeted operations by Chechen police; less mopping-up operations ("zachistki") by federal forces ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144],  [ID 16193]

"The year saw a continued shift of Russian tactics away from operations involving Russian military formations and toward police operations, and from the use of federal forces toward reliance on paramilitary and police units of the Chechen Republic. There were fewer mopping-up operations, known as "zachistki," than in previous years, although more targeted operations, such as night raids, continued. According to Memorial, zachistki were often conducted with no serious human rights abuses, but Memorial noted that in some cases, zachistki were accompanied by abductions, looting, and beatings. Chechen security forces were nominally under the control of Chechen civilian authorities but also often conducted operations jointly with Russian federal forces. In reality, Chechen security forces were under the command of Chechen First Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov and often appeared to act with relative independence. The limited measures taken by the federal and Chechen leaders to rein them in have been largely ineffective. (...) The indiscriminate use of force by government troops, which during the course of the conflict has resulted in widespread civilian casualties, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons, and massive destruction of property and infrastructure, appeared to decrease during the year. However, Memorial reported that in comparison to 2001-2002, government forces used less indiscriminate force in 2004 against civilian areas and this trend appeared to continue in 2005."

Document(s): Open document

21.12.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Chechnya: Report on human rights violations since 2004 (unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture and illegal detention, hostage-takings, reprisals against applicants to the ECHR, harassment of human rights defenders) ("Human rights violations in the Chechen Republic: the Committee of Ministers’ responsibility vis-à-vis the Assembly's concerns [Doc. 10774]") [#41209],  [ID 16194]

Document(s): Open document

01.07.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights violations in the context of the armed conflict in the Chechen Republic: arbitrary detention, "disappearences", killings, torture and other human right violations ("Russian Federation: Violations continue, no justice in sight. A briefing paper on human rights violations in the context of the armed conflict in the Chechen Republic") [#36615],  [ID 16195]

Document(s): Open document

30.03.2005 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Abductions and illegal detentions of civilians by unknown armed persons dressed in camouflage still pervasive; prosecutor’s office still either unwilling or unable to provide effective investigation into those cases ("Chechnya: More of the Same. Extrajudicial Killings, 'Disappearances', Illegal Arrest, Torture") [#30700],  [ID 16196]

"But some other things have not changed at all: Abductions and illegal detentions of civilians by unknown armed persons dressed in camouflage are still pervasive. The only difference is that these people now do not arrive exclusively in military vehicles, but in regular cars as well. As a result, murders, torture and beatings have remained unchanged. And the prosecutor’s office is still either unwilling or unable to provide effective investigation into those endless cases."

Document(s): Open document

17.11.2004 - Source: Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

Boys suspected to be Chechen rebels have been targeted by the Russian army and have “disappeared” in custody or been killed ("Child soldiers global report 2004") [#27189],  [ID 16197]

"Boys suspected to be Chechen rebels have been targeted by the Russian army and have “disappeared” in custody or been killed.21 During “cleansing” operations (zachistki), Russian troops have repeatedly closed off villages and districts, ostensibly to identify participants in the armed opposition. Boys were reported to be particularly vulnerable and were routinely rounded up, sent to “filtration camps” and tortured.22 One 16 year old, after being tortured in a “filtration camp”, said “I was relieved when they took us out to be shot”.23 In 2002 the official with responsibility for children’s rights in Chechnya’s pro-Russian administration stated that over 90 children had “disappeared” over the preceding year in cases “directly linked to actions by the military” during zachistki operations. Military officials responded that the children had been eliminated because they had collaborated with rebel fighters.24 One of the highest-ranking commanders in Chechnya, General Vladimir Shamanov, when asked “Is the child of a bandit also a bandit?”, responded “Certainly”."

Document(s): Open document

30.08.2004 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Widespread disappearances, torture and extra-judicial execution, reported ("Chechnya: Renewed Violence and Human Rights Abuses Undermine Credibility of Presidential Elections") [#25218],  [ID 16198]

Document(s): Open document

23.06.2004 - Source: Amnesty International

Extrajudicial killings (""Normalization" in whose eyes?") [#23468],  [ID 16199]

Report on extrajudicial killings, with a list of specific cases

Document(s): Open document

10.06.2003 - Source: Memorial Human Rights Center

Investigation of crimes against civilians committed by members of federal forces in Chechnya during military operations 1999–2003 ("Deceptive Justice: Situation on the investigation on crimes against civilians committed by members of the Federal Forces in the Chechen Republic during military operations 1999–2003") [#19383],  [ID 16200]

Document(s): Open document
Open document

04.2003 - Source: Crimes of War Project

Reports on the situation of russian troops in Chechnya, human rights violations committed by them and on the situation in the region ("Crimes of War Project Magazine, April 2003: Chechnya: The world looks away") [#19625],  [ID 16202]

Document(s): Open document
Open document

29.01.2003 - Source: Human Rights Watch

HRW: Night operations, in which masked troops raid particular homes, increased ("Into Harm’s Way: Forced Return of Displaced People to Chechnya") [#10533],  [ID 16208]

"Often Russian forces commit abuses during zachistki, or sweep operations, which involve the closing off of streets or even entire villages for house-to-house searches. Increasingly, Russian forces also appear to be carrying out more targeted night operations, in which masked troops raid particular homes, execute targeted individuals, or take them away, never to be seen again."

Document(s): Open document

24.01.2003 - Source: Council of Europe - Secretary General

Since October 2002 special operations and targeted measures have increased ("Twenty-fifth interim report by the Secretary General on the presence of the Council of Europe’s experts in the Office of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for ensuring Human Rights and Civil Rights and Freedoms in the Chechen Republic [SG/Inf(2003) 2]") [#10595],  [ID 16209]

"11. Since the hostage taking in Moscow in late October 2002 the Russian authorities have taken severe security measures . Special operations and targeted measures (night raids at home in particular) have increased in number and the control of civilians at checkpoints has been reinforced. Concerning the latter, the experts were informed that an order issued by the military headquarters in Khankala requires that the security clearance at a checkpoint should last between 15 and 30 minutes. 12. However, these measures, and in particular the way they are implemented, are highly criticised by the Chechen authorities, the local population and NGOs as they may result in human rights violations, in particular extra-judicial killings, disappearances and lootings. 13. According to several heads of local administration whom the experts met, security at night is not sufficiently guaranteed by the Chechen police. In the meantime, joint military/local police patrolling at night have increased in certain areas or will be increased in several Chechen districts and villages, in particular to prevent disappearances of civilians."

Document(s): Open document
Addendum

22.01.2003 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

IHF: Numerous disappearances and cases of extreme violence against Chechen civilians in the first two weeks of January 2003 ("On the Continuing Brutality Against Civilians In Chechnya") [#10451],  [ID 16210]

"Human rights monitoring organizations including Memorial have documented numerous disappearances and cases of extreme violence against Chechen civilians the first two weeks of January 2003. For example, 11 persons—all men—have disappeared from one district in Grozny alone. Local monitors also report that on 14 January, four more persons were abducted during a raid near the central market, and numerous persons were beaten including a pregnant woman during the same incident. Mutilated bodies of disappeared persons continue to be found, some in graves and others left apparently to intimidate the population. On 13 January, 10 corpses were discovered, all of which had been mutilated by explosives. Several could be identified as persons who had been abducted by Federal forces about three weeks earlier, according to numerous witnesses. But the General Prosecutor of Chechnya stated that the victims had been executed by Chechen rebels. “Mop-up operations” (Zachistki) are not as common as in previous months, as soldiers now tend to apprehend single individuals. Most disappeared continue to be men in their productive years. More and more of the recovered corpses of disappeared persons have been blown up with explosives or otherwise mutilated beyond recognition. About 40 disappearences per month have been confirmed by Memorial, but this can only be considered a partial accounting as not all parts of Chechnya can be thoroughly monitored. Representatives of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) met with numerous Chechen civil society activists in Nazran, Ingushetia on 19-21 January 2003. The IHF received reports of many other incidents of violence that have not been confirmed"

Document(s): Open document

05.06.2002 - Source: Amnesty International

Amnesty International: Reports on torture, ill-treatment while in detention, forced "disappearances" and extrajudicial executions ("Russian Federation / Chechnya - UA 164/02") [#7380],  [ID 16212]

"Many Chechen civilians have disappeared after being detained by Russian security forces. The bodies of some of the "disappeared" have later been found in unmarked dumping sites or mass graves. Many appear to have suffered torture, including rape, or violent death. For example forty-year-old Nura Lulueva and her cousins Markha and Raisa Gakaeva and Aset Elbuzdukueva were arrested during a raid on a market in Grozny on 3 June 2000. Their blindfolded bodies were found on a dumping site in Dachny village, near the Russian military base at Khankala, on 4 March 2001. Amnesty International has gathered numerous reports of male and female detainees, being subjected to torture, including rape, being beaten with hammers and clubs, given electric shocks or being sprayed with tear gas while in the custody of the Russian security forces. During military raids, ostensibly to root out Chechen fighters, Russian security forces continue to subject the civilian population to serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have gathered corroborating witness testimony on violations against civilians during these raids that include detention without charge, torture, including rape, and ill-treatment while in detention, forced "disappearance" and extrajudicial execution. Detention facility personnel routinely extort money and/or weapons from detainees' relatives in order to secure their release."

Document(s): Open document