Document - RUSSIE (TCHÉTCHÉNIE). Ali Khadaïev. CAS D'APPEL

Russian Federation

Thecase of Ali Khadaev

According to information received by Amnesty International, on 19 April 2002 at about 3am some 25 uniformed and masked men came to the house of the Khadaev family in Urus-Martan. They told the family they needed to check the papers of Ali Saindinovich Khadaev, commonly known as Timur, and took him away. His mother Satsita Khadaeva was reportedly told by one of the men who spoke Chechen that he would be taken to the district commander’s office and that she should bring US $ 2,500, allegedly to obtain his release. It took the family about 11 days to collect the money from neighbours and relatives.

On 1 May 2002, after the money had been paid, Ali Khadaev was released. According to his mother he had not been given any food and hardly anything to drink during his time in detention. He told his mother that he had been beaten repeatedly; he required 20 days’ hospital treatment following his detention reportedly due to damage to his kidneys and other health problems which may have been the result of his time in detention.

In November 2002 someone from the district commander’s office visited Ali Khadaev and his mother and asked them to sign a statement that they did not have any complaints to make against the district commander’s office. Fearing further reprisals, both signed the statement.On 4 January 2003 at 3am several armoured personnel carriers stopped about 500 metres from the Khadaev house and a group of men in camouflage uniforms and masks came to look for Ali Khadaev. Satsita Khadaeva told Amnesty International that she believes the men knew the identity of Ali Khadaev, despite the fact that she was told they needed to check his papers, and they then took him to the district commander’s office.

Satsita Khadaeva waited until 22 January 2003 before she went to the procuracy in Urus-Martan to report the "disappearance" of her son, as she had expected to receive another request for money from those who had taken him away. She then contacted local human rights organizations and the procuracy in order to open a criminal investigation into the "disappearance" of her son. In March 2004 she told Amnesty International that over a year later she still has no information whatsoever concerning the fate and whereabouts of her son Ali Khadaev. Satsita Khadaeva on several occasions joined other mothers of "disappeared" men and women who rallied in front of the local and republican administration in order to receive information about their relatives.

Please send letters to the Russian authorities:

- Expressing concern about the fate and well-being of Ali Khadaev and urging the authorities to release any information they may have about his whereabouts.

- Expressing concern about the alleged torture and ill-treatment of Ali Khadaev in April 2002.

- Urging to thoroughly and effectively investigate the circumstances of Ali Khadaev’s "disappearance" and to bring to justice in a court of law, those found responsible.

- Urging the immediate release of Ali Khadaev if he is being held by law enforcement officials or for him to be charged with a recognizable criminal offence and be given access to a lawyer of his choice and his family.

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