Back Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee returns to the North Caucasian region of the Russian Federation

A delegation of the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) has just returned from a one week visit to the North Caucasian region of the Russian Federation.

The visit was the seventh organised by the Council of Europe’s anti-torture body to this part of Russia since 2000. In June 2003, the CPT issued a public statement concerning the Chechen Republic (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en). The latest visit was an opportunity to review progress made in tackling issues raised in that statement, in particular resort to torture and other forms of ill-treatment by members of the law enforcement agencies and federal forces, forced disappearances and impunity. In addition, the Committee examined for the first time the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in the Republic of Ingushetia.

At the outset of the visit, the delegation went to School No. 1 in Beslan (North Ossetia-Alania) and paid homage to the victims of the terrorist attack which took place there in early September 2004.

The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:

  • ORB-2 (Operational/search bureau of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia responsible for the Southern federal region), Grozny
  • SIZO (pre-trial establishment) No. 1, Grozny
  • SIZO No. 2, Chernokozovo
  • IVS (temporary detention facility) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Ingushetia, Nazran.

The delegation also visited the Forensic Bureau of the Chechen Republic in Grozny as well as the forensic medical services in Mozdok and Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia-Alania). In addition, it interviewed certain prisoners at SIZO No. 1 in Vladikavkaz and studied documentation at the SIZO of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Vladikavkaz.

During the visit, the delegation had meetings with Ramzan KADYROV, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic, Ruslan ALKHANOV, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Chechen Republic, Lyoma KHASUYEV, Acting Ombudsman of the Chechen Republic, Vladimir KRAVCHENKO, Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic, Alexander MOKRITSKY, Military Prosecutor of the Allied Group of Forces, and Mahmud KALIMATOV, Prosecutor of the Republic of Ingushetia. It also met representatives of the Chechen Bar Association and of the NGOs Memorial and Moscow Helsinki Group.

Before leaving the North Caucasian region, the CPT’s delegation discussed the main findings of the visit with Alu ALKHANOV, President of the Chechen Republic.

* * *

The CPT's delegation consisted of Mauro PALMA, the Committee’s member in respect of Italy (Head of delegation), Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI, a Swiss medical doctor and member of the CPT in respect of Switzerland, Derrick POUNDER, a British forensic doctor, and two members of the CPT's Secretariat, Trevor STEVENS (Executive Secretary) and Petya NESTOROVA (Head of Unit).

03/12/2004
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