ECHR to Discuss Alleged Chechen Militants Case

(Tbilisi, July 2, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Hearing of the appeal of the 11 alleged Chechen militants, which were detained in Georgia last August, is scheduled for September 16 at European Court of Human Rights, the Georgian Justice Ministry reported.

The lawyers of the Chechens protest against the extradition of the five alleged militants to Russia without the Georgian court?s decision. Georgia handed over five alleged militants to Russia last October.

?We know nothing about the whereabouts and condition of extradited persons,? Maka Dzamukashvili, a lawyer told Civil Georgia. 

?We appealed to the Strasbourg Court on 4 October 2002. Legal proceedings have already started and the date of the first hearing of the case is already set,? Maka Dzamukashvili said.

Lawyers of the Chechens Lia Mukhashavria and Maka Dzamukashvili, as well as the representatives of the Georgian Justice Ministry will attend the hearing at ECHR in Strasbourg.

Georgian border guards arrested 13 armed men last August for illegal crossing the border and carrying the weapons. 11 of them were Chechens, while two Georgian citizens. Georgia extradited five of them to Russia in wake of Moscow?s categorical demand. Three out of 13 could avoid extradition because of having refugee status in Georgia.