Amnesty International warns Russia against repeating Chechen mistakes in Ingushetia

The Amnesty International has expressed its concern of the rapid aggravation of the situation in Ingushetia, caused by the growing number of violent disappearances, kidnappings and other violations of human rights. The statement of the organization runs that the Russian and Ingush authorities should take all the necessary measures to avoid the mistakes made in due time in Chechnya.

"When settling the unstable situation in Ingushetia, the Russian authorities should act in accord with the rule of law, in particular, guarantee that all the detention comply with the provisions of the Russian legislation and international norms in the sphere of human rights," the Amnesty International quotes Nicolas Darkworth, Director of the Programme of this organization for Europe and Central Asia.

The Amnesty International lists the following violations admitted by employees of law enforcement bodies in Ingushetia: when checking citizens' documents and detention they fail to name themselves, and in some cases wear masks. As an example, the operation in Ali-Yurt village is described that was held in July 2007, when employees of federal power structures beat dozens of local residents.

Also, the human rights activists remind of the case, when in the city of Nazran the workers of law enforcement bodies shot dead at least three persons. The authorities then declared that the victims had rendered armed resistance, whereas eyewitnesses assert that it was a case of total execution. It is also marked that messages about similar incidents arrived also from the cities of Malgobek and Karabulak.

The human rights activists also raise the problem of disappearances as a result of kidnapping in Ingushetia.