IHF Concerned with Violation of Chechens’ Rights in Georgia

(Tbilisi, December 23, 2002. Civil Georgia) – “The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) is deeply concerned about violations of the rights of ethnic Chechens in Georgia and by the justification of these violations as being necessary for anti-terrorist operations,” IHF press release, issued on December 23 says.

IHF refers to the extradition of five alleged Chechen militants by the Georgian authorities to the Russian side in October and anti-crime operation in Tbilisi, in early December, when the Georgian law enforcers detained and fingerprinted dozens of ethnic Chechens living in Georgian capital.

“Georgian authorities extradited five Chechens to Russia without a court decision and promised to extradite others wanted by Russia in the near future. This procedure violates Georgian law as well the European Convention on Human Rights and the standards of the Council of Europe,” IHF press release reads.

IHF also states that there have been multiple violations of the rights of the detained persons during the so-called anti-crime operation, including the denial of access to lawyers of the detainees’ choice, as well as intimidation.

“Before being released, fingerprints of the detained were taken, as in the case of suspects, and without a court decision,” IHF press release says.