12:14, 17 May 2004

Mutilated bodies of four locals found in Chechnya

Mutilated dead bodies of four unknown men were found by locals in the vicinity of the Sernovodsk village, Chechnya's Sunzha district, on May 12. The bodies reportedly had signs of cruel torture and numerous gunshot wounds. All the men were finished off by shots in the head. The young men, who to all appearances fell victims to extrajudicial execution on the part of the military, have not been identified.

"Address purges" were conducted by Russian servicemen in the village of Sernovodsk on May 13. Five local residents were captured and taken away in an unknown direction in the course of the operation. All the detainees are young men at the ages between 20 and 30. The whereabouts and further destiny of the Sernovodsk residents abducted by the servicemen have not been established so far.

Source: Infromation Center of the Council of NGOs