Chechen woman requests compensation for her husband kidnapped in 2000

The Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya has restored the right to file an appeal against a court’s decision for Chechen resident Saikhat Susaeva, whose husband disappeared after being detained by Russian militaries in 2000. After a verdict had been pronounced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the woman obtained a court’s decision on compensation for moral damage in the amount of 1 million roubles, but the Russian Ministry of Finance convinced the district court to cancel its decision.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that during the second Chechen military campaign alone, up to 5000 people fell victim to forced disappearances, and over the past 30 years, about 8000 people have disappeared in Northern Caucasus. At the same time, cases when punishment was imposed on law enforcers are rare.

During 24 years, Saikhat Susaeva has been seeking compensation for her husband who disappeared after being detained by Russian militaries. Her claim will be considered again by the Akhmatovsky District Court of Grozny, the “Rosinform” information project reports.

Saikhat Susaeva and others appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which found that the Russian Federation was responsible for the deaths of the men and that the authorities did not conduct an effective investigation into their deaths.

The “Memorial”* reported that in March 2000, the magazine “Itogi” (Results) posted a photograph in which three persons, including Akhmada Susaev, stayed in a pit guarded by the militaries. According to relatives’ story, they were not members of any armed groupings, but they were hiding in a basement from the bombings.

*On December 29, 2021, by the decision of the Moscow City Court, the Russian legal entities of the “International Memorial” and the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial” were liquidated. Activists of the organizations have reported that both organizations will continue their work without forming legal entities.