ECHR Cases from the North Caucasus

At about 4. a.m. on 14 January 2003 several military vehicles arrived at Orekhova Street in Achkhov-Martan. Armed servicemen ran into the house of the Ismailov family and apprehended Aslan and Aslambek Ismailov. A few houses away, Khizir and Yaragi Ismailov were apprehended together with Yusi Daydayev. The military vehicles drove away with the apprehended men. None of the five men have been seen since. The investigation into their disappearances has not produced any results.

Yusup Satabayev was arrested by the FSB in February 2000. The criminal proceedings against him was discontinued on 27 July 2000. On 28 July 2000 Yusup was transferred to the detention facility of the Urus-Martan temporary Department of the Interior of the Chechen Republic (VOVD).  On 14 August, VOVD officials informed Yusup's mother that he had been transferred to the federal force groups “Zapad”. Yusup has not been seen since.

On 1 August 2000 federal forces conducted a sweeping operation in Urus-Martan and arrested several men, including Kazbek Vakhayev. The arrested men were taken to Urus-Martan temporary Department of the Interior of the Chechen Republic (VOVD). On 13 August, Kazbek's relatives were told that he had been transferred to the federal force groups “Zapad”. Kazbek has been missing since.

At about 6 a.m. on 4 December 2000 a group of masked armed men in camouflage uniforms broke into Mayrudin Khantiyev's flat in Grozny. The servicemen dragged Mayrudin out through the balcony, put him in their VAZ car and drove away. He has not been seen since. At the material time, Grozny was under curfew and the block of apartments where Mayrudin lived was surrounded  by several Russian military check-points. An investigation was opened into the disappearance but it has not been meaningful.

At about 5 a.m. on 11 August 2002 a group of armed masked men in camouflage uniforms arrived at the house of the Ilyasov family in the village of Mesker-Yurt on two APCs, a UAZ car and a VAZ car. The men  quickly searched the house. They then apprehended Musa Ilyasov, handcuffed him and put a pillow case over his head before driving away. Musa has been missing since. The investigation into his disappearance has failed to produce any results.

In the early morning on 10 December 2002 a group of servicemen arrived at the house of the Rezvanov family in Urus-Martan. They threatened the family members at gun-point and asked for the men. When Akhmed Rezvanov emerged from the house, he was put in a military vehicle and driven off in an unknown direction. The servicemen subsequently seized several items from the house. Akhmed has not been seen since.

Around 11 a.m. on 4 February 2003 a group of Russian military servicemen arrived at Ramzan Babushev's home in the village of Makhety. The servicemen asked Ramzan, who worked as a car mechanic, to repair their UAZ car. Ramzan started to work on the car. Ten minutes later around 20 masked servicemen ran into the yard, put handcuffs on Ramzan and a dark sack on his head. They put him in an APC. Before driving away the men searched the house and seized the family's valuables. Ramzan has not been seen since.

At about 4.30 a.m. on 9 February 2003, a group of federal servicemen burst into the house of the Magomadov family in Grozny. Ruslan Magomadov was thrown on the floor. The servicemen tied his hands and placed a pillow case on his head. They led him to one of their armoured personnel carriers and drove off. Ruslan has not been seen since.

On 14 January 2004 around 12 p.m. Bekman Asadulayev, a police officer, arrived at the Chechnya Department of the Ministry of the Interior in Grozny with two colleagues. Having passed through security and entered the building they were approached by several armed servicemen. The servicemen checked their identity cards and apprehended Bekman. They put him in their VAZ car and drove past security without being stopped. Bekman has not been seen since.

In the morning on 27 August 2001 Khizir Tepsurkayev left his house in Urus-Martan to go to the centre of the town. He got a ride with an acquaintance. At about 10 a.m. the car was stopped by Russian servicemen at a military check point. As Khizir showed his documents, the car's driver turned the car and drove away under gunfire. Khizir was immediately detained, placed in an UAZ car and driven away. He has not been seen since.

At about 2 a.m. on 11 January 2003 a group of about 20 armed masked men broke into the house of the Karimov family in the village of Proletarskoye. The servicemen handcuffed Arbi Karimov and put him in one of their APCs. Having apprehended Arbi the men searched the house, took a number of items and drove away in the direction of Staropromyslovskiy district. Arbi has been missing since. The investigation into his disappearance has not produced any results.

In the morning of 15 November 2002 Khasan Yusupov, who served in the military commandant's office of Achkhoy-Martan, went to Khankala by car together with three other officers. At midday their radio connection was cut. Khasan has been missing since. The investigation opened into his disappearance has not been effective.

At about 3 a.m. on 12 April 2002, during the curfew, a group of servicemen broke into the flat in Urus-Martan where Ibragim Uruskhanov and his relatives were sleeping. A large group of servicemen in camouflage uniforms, arriving on an APC and a military Ural vehicle, had surrounded the building. The men searched the flat and ordered Ibragim to come with them. Ibragim's mother shortly thereafter saw an APC and a Ural vehicle drive towards a nearby military check-point. Ibragim has been missing since that night.

At about 5 a.m. in the morning on 18 July 2001 a large group of Russian military servicemen broke into a house in the village of Raduzhnoe where they apprehended Amir Magomedov and Ali Uspayev. Amir and Ali were loaded into one of two APCs before the servicemen took off, joined by another two APCs. An hour later, Rustam Achkhanov and Aslan Dokayev reached Raduzhnoe by car and were met with fire coming from four APCs. The shooting continued as Rustam and Aslan got off the car and started running. Both men were wounded and then loaded into one of the APCs. Amir, Ali, Rustam and Aslan have been missing since.

In broad daylight on 31 August 2001 approximately 10 military servicemen stormed into the house of the Khasuyev family in Urus-Martan. They aggressively searched the house and then detained Abu Khasuyev, claiming he had a grenade. On orders from one of the soliders, Abu Khasuyev was driven away in a military vehicle towards "the base". He has not been seen since. The applicant, Abu Khasuyev's mother, eventually took the ultimately unsuccessful search for her son to the Chechen Supreme Court, which turned down her request to acquaint herself with the materials of the inconclusive investigation in the criminal case opened to examine her son's disappearance.

On the night of 6 July 2002, a group of Russian federal servicemen broke into the house of the Basayev family in the village of Martan-Chu. The men searched the house. When they left, they took Lecha Basayev with them. On the same night, a group of Russian federal servicemen entered the house of the Dikayev family in Urus-Martan. They violently apprehended Lema Dikayev and put him in one of their armored personnel carriers before driving away. Lecha and Lema have not been seen since that night. The investigations into their disappearances have not produced any results.

On the night of 6 July 2002, a group of Russian federal servicemen broke into the house of the Basayev family in the village of Martan-Chu. The men searched the house. When they left, they took Lecha Basayev with them. On the same night, a group of Russian federal servicemen entered the house of the Dikayev family in Urus-Martan. They violently apprehended Lema Dikayev and put him in one of their armored personnel carriers before driving away. Lecha and Lema have not been seen since that night. The investigations into their disappearances have not produced any results.

In the morning on 16 December 2002 Khava Magomadova left her home to walk to work at the railway station in the village of Chervlennaya. One of her colleagues saw her and a white Gazel turn at a crossroad ahead of him. When he reached the corner he saw the car swaying but no traces of Khava Magomadova. Her footprints in the snow stopped at the crossroad. She has not been seen since.

Muslim Nenkayev and his brother Isa Nenkayev were abducted from their family home in Urus-Martan by a group of Russian military servicemen in the night of 8 June 2002. The brothers were blindfolded and escorted through Urus-Martan to a central building where they were detained. Isa was released and returned home after 24 hours but Muslim is still missing.

On 25 October 2000 Russian military servicemen carried out a special operation in the village of Alleroy. At about 10.00 a.m. on that day a group of servicemen arrived at the Khamidov family's home, apprehended Aslanbek Khamidov and took him away. He was taken to a locally based military unit together with ten other villagers. A few days later the ten other detainees were released without Aslanbek who disappeared. The criminal investigation into Aslanbek's disappearance has not produced any results.