16:14, 4 March 2004

Chechen women in Ivanovo region undergo police checks

Women from the Chechen Republic who temporarily live in the town of Ivanovo reported that the end of February - the begging of March was marked there by summonses ordering all ethnic Chechen women to appear in district police departments as witnesses in criminal cases. Women who came to the police departments were asked what the reason was for their stay in Ivanovo, what the composition of their families was, and other questions, which borne no relation to any criminal investigation. It should be noted that these women had already undergone a thorough examination on the part of interior agencies when they had registered places of their residence. Moreover, their photos and video records had been made at the same time, as well as fingerprinting. These actions done in a necessary form is a gross violation of the Russian legislation. The women say the situation in other settlements of the Ivanovo region is the same.

Source: Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship