17:53, 17 November 2003

Murder of refugee in Ingushetia

On November 8, the body of Imran Kagirov was found on a bank of the Sunzha River near the Ingush village of Barsuki. Imran had been a 1972-year born displaced person from Chechnya; he had lived in the place of IDPs' compact residence in the Nasir-Kort settlement, Nazran. He had disappeared without a trace in Ingushetia on November 2.

The death was caused by a gunshot wound. The dead body had trace of torture.

Movldi Kagirov, Imran's father, said, "I do not deny that my son was a participant in the resistance during the first war. But he has had no truck with both the belligerents during the second war. Besides, I can surely say my son has never cut off anybody's head and has never abducted anyone! Now I realize anyone who has borne relation to the hostilities somehow or another - it is not important to what extent - is doomed to violent death by the hands of the Russian security services." It should be noted that the members of the separatists' units who warred against the federal forces in 1994-1995 were amnestied by Russia in 1997.

Source: Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship