16:45, 23 April 2004

Chechen field commander died natural death in prison

The Russian Justice Ministry has denied media reports that Lecha Islamov, a Chechen field commander, died a violent death in a prison hospital.

"Convict Islamov died a natural death. Doctors have come up with a preliminary diagnosis. They say he suffered from heart, renal and adrenal insufficiency and developed pulmonary edema," Deputy Justice Minister Yury Kalinin said to Interfax on Friday, April 23.

Islamov's brother Taus was allowed to see the body immediately, the official said. "We have not received any complaints from the brother," Mr Kalinin said.

However, for the sake of establishing the final cause of death, Islamov's body has been transferred to the forensic medicine bureau, he added.

"I think we will announce the exact cause of Islamov's death in two days," he said.

Islamov, a former field commander and underworld figure, had been sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for abductions in 2002. He was rushed to a prison hospital in Volgograd in an acute condition and died on Wednesday, April 21.

Source: Interfax News Agency