SOS APPEAL

By Zainap Gashaeva, Delegate at The 1999 Hague Appeal for Peace Conference
Source: Inter-regional Peacemaking Social Organization "Echo of War"
Tel/fax: +7-095-287-7959
Date: January 29, 2000

The organizations North Caucasus Union of Women, Echo of War, and the Coordinating Council of International Human Rights Organizations "ORC" ("Alarm") are in possession of reliable information concerning the seizure of peaceful citizens (women and young men) in the Shelkovski and Naurski regions of Chechnya, and their transfer into filtration camps. Russian soldiers arrested Zura Betieva and her 18-year old son Idris Iduev in their home, Kalinovski State farm in the Naurski region, and took them to an unknown destination. Zura Betieva was a participant in the 1995 Moscow-Grozny Peace March, and is active in NGO peacemaking work. The fate of these people remains unknown.

There is evidence that such measures are also being taken against peaceful civilians in other areas of Chechnya. We appeal to international organizations to take appropriate measures with regard to the crimes being committed against absolutely innocent people.