Chechens Appeal Supreme Court to Suspend Extradition

(Tbilisi, December 16, 2002. Civil Georgia) – Three alleged Chechen militants appealed today the Supreme Court of Georgia to cancel the decision of the Georgian General Prosecutor’s office on their extradition to Russia. The district court in Tbilisi has already rejected Chechens’ appeal.

Chechens claim that the process of termination of their identities is not over yet, thus the extradition would be illegal.

Georgian President Shevardnadze said that the extradition would be carried out in accordance to the law.

These three Chechens were among those 13 armed persons, which were detained by the Georgian border guards near the Russian border in early August. Georgia has already handed over 5 of them to Russia.

Early in December Russian media sources reported that some Chechen warlords threatened Georgia in case of extradition of alleged Chechen militants to Russia.

Georgian President said at the news briefing today that recently he has received a “touching” letter from the Chechen refugees living in Georgian Pankisi gorge.

“Chechen refugees are concerned with the threats against Georgia, which provided them [refugees], mainly women and children, safe shelter in Pankisi,” Eduard Shevardnadze said.