EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL THURSDAY OCTOBER 26 AT 0:01 GMT

For more information, please contact:

In Brussels: Lotte Leicht, +32 75 681 708 (mobile)

In Moscow: Diederik Lohman, +7 095 250 6852 (office),

+7 095 764 5938 (mobile)

In New York: Rachel Denber, +1 212 216 1266

CHECHEN DETAINEES FACE "HELL" FROM RUSSIAN CAPTORS

Europe Must Press Russia Harder on Abuses

(Brussels, October 26, 2000) -- On the eve of the October 29 E.U.-Russia

summit, Human Rights Watch today released a report detailing the cycle

of torture and extortion faced by thousands of Chechens whom Russian

forces have detained in Chechnya. The rights group called on European

states to file a case against Russia in the European Court of Human

Rights, for these and other abuses during the war in Chechnya.

The 99-page report, entitled "Welcome to Hell," describes how Russian

troops have detained thousands of Chechens on suspicion of collaboration

with rebel fighters. Many of them were detained arbitrarily, with no

evidence of wrongdoing. Guards at detention centers systematically beat

Chechen detainees, some of whom have also been raped or subjected to

other forms of torture. Most were released only after their families

managed to pay large bribes to Russian officials. Russian authorities

have launched no credible and transparent effort to investigate these

abuses and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"Welcome to hell" is how guards at the Chernokozovo detention facility

would greet detainees, before forcing them to undergo a hail of blows by

baton-wielding guards.

"These are not just abuses of the past," said Rachel Denber, Acting

Director of the Europe and Central Asia division of Human Rights Watch.

"Even today, any Chechen civilian is at risk of arbitrary detention and

severe physical abuse at the hands of Russian troops."

Chechens who do not have proper identity papers, who share a surname

with a Chechen commander, who are thought to have relatives who are

fighters, or who simply "look" like fighters, continue to be detained

and abused on a daily basis in their communities or at Chechnya's

hundreds of checkpoints. Many "disappear" for months as Russian

officials keep them in incommunicado detention. Some are eventually

released when relatives pay a bribe. Others never come back.

Fear of detention has prevented tens of thousands of internally

displaced persons from returning to their homes in Chechnya. It has

also confined those who have remained inside Chechnya, particularly

young men, to their homes or communities.

The E.U. has sharply criticized Russia's actions in Chechnya. It

sponsored a resolution at the United Commission on Human Rights urging

Russia to

launch a national commission of inquiry that would establish

accountability for abuse. Six months after the resolution's adoption,

the Russian government has failed to launch a credible investigation

into human rights abuse in Chechnya, including torture at detention

centers. So far, the E.U. has taken no steps to press Russia to form the

commission.

"The E.U. has given Russia more than enough time to launch a credible

investigation into abuses in Chechnya," Denber said. "If the E.U. wants

to retain its credibility on human rights issues, it should act now."

The report closely scrutinizes abuse at the Chernokozovo detention

facility, which became infamous for torture in early 2000, and then

underwent a massive clean-up after an outcry by the media and

international community. The report also documents abuse in facilities

at Piatigorsk, Stavropol, Urus-Martan, the Mozdok and Khankala military

bases, and others.

At several detention centers, baton-wielding guards formed a human

gauntlet and forced incoming detainees to run through. At least one

man, Aindi Kovtorashvili, died as a result of gauntlet-style beatings.

Human Rights Watch researchers also gathered testimony from several

former detainees about rape and sexual assault of both men and women. A

number of former detainees also gave detailed accounts of the injuries

they sustained to their ribs, liver, kidneys, testicles, and feet from

prolonged beatings.

Most former detainees interviewed for the report were released only

after their families had paid substantial bribes-ranging from U.S.$75 to

$5,000-to their Russian captors or predatory intermediaries. Such

bribes were demanded so often that in many cases, detention itself

appeared to have been motivated by the promise of financial gain, rather

than by the need to identify rebel elements.

In February 2000, delegations of the European Committee for the

Prevention of Torture visited detention centers in Chechnya. Following

its visits, the Committee explicitly requested Russian authorities to

investigate allegations of abuse at Chernokozovo and other facilities.

It is unclear, though, whether the Russian government has done so.

Human Rights Watch called on the Russian government to provide details

regarding any such investigations. Human Rights Watch also called on the

Russian government to make public the Committee's reports on its

February and April 2000 trips to Chechnya; under Committee rules of

confidentiality, only the government under investigation can make

reports public.

Until October 26, the report can be found at

http://xmail.hrw.org/chechnya/ using the username: hell and the access

code: welcome20. Beginning on October 26, it can be found at

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/russia_chechnya4

--

Diederik Lohman,

Director, Moscow Office

Human Rights Watch

Russian Federation, Moscow 125267, A/Ya 2

Tel: 7 095 250 6852

Fax: 7 095 250 6853

dlohman@hrw.glasnet.ru

Website

English: http://www.hrw.org

Russian: http://www.hrw.org/russian

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