Forced disappearance in Grozny

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Russian Federation.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by reliable sources and by Antenna International, a member of OMCT SOS-Torture network, about the forced disappearance of Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich (born in 1988), student and resident in Grozny, Chechnya.

According to the information received, on 18 August 2008, at about 7:00-7:30pm, around ten unidentified armed servicemen, wearing masks, believed to be members of the Russian Federal Forces, abducted Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich after they had burst into his house in Grozny, reportedly stating that they were controlling the “passport regime”. Mr. Tamerlan Dokaevich was forced into one of their cars (they were reportedly driving a Niva 4-door car and a silvery "Zhiguli" car without state license plates), and driven to an unknown destination. No explanation or arrest warrant was reportedly provided.

According to the same information, on the same evening, Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich’s relatives tried to file a report on the abduction with the Leninsky district police station but it was reportedly refused on the grounds that these kinds of report are only registered after three days of disappearance. Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich’s relatives tried again the next morning, on 19 August 2008, but to no avail. Leninsky district police eventually accepted the report but informed the relatives that they would only start investigation on the third day.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich, as his whereabouts remain unknown, giving rise to fears that he may be subject to ill-treatment, torture or potentially extra-judicial execution. OMCT calls on the authorities to immediately locate his whereabouts and guarantee his personal integrity at all times. OMCT recalls that the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) both prohibit cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Russia and Chechnya urging them to:

1. Immediately locate the whereabouts of Mr. Nasipov Tamerlan Dokaevich;
2. Guarantee, in all circumstances, his physical and psychological integrity and guarantee any medical treatment he may require and immediate and unconditional access to a lawyer of his choice and his family;
3. Order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;
4. Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• Mr. Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, Faxes:+ 7 095 206 5173 / 230 2408, Email: president@gov.ru;
• Mr. Vladimir Ustinov, Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, 103793 g. Moskva K-31, Ul. B. Dimitrovka, d 15a, Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 095 292 88 48;
• Ms. Ella Pamfilova, Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, 103132 g. Moskva, Staraya ploshchad, d 8/5,pod 3, Russian Federation, Fax:+70952064855;
• Mr. Vladimir Lukin, Russian Federal Ombudsman for Human Rights, Fax: +7 495 207-53-37;
• Mr. Rashid Nurgaliev, Minister of Internal Affairs, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 117049 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Rossiia, 117049, Moskva, Fax: + 7 095 237 49 25;
• Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Fax:+ 7 095 244 2203;
• Mr. Ramzan Kadyrov, President of the Chechen Republic, Fax: +7 8712 22 30 85
• Mr. Kuznetov V.A., Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic, Fax: +7 8712 22 35 43
• Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations in Geneva Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, e-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 734 40 44;

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Russia in your respective countries.

Geneva, 20 August 2008

Kindly inform OMCT of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.