Procurator of the Chechen Republic
V. A. Kuznetsov
ul. Idrisova 42
Grozny 364000

Also by facsimile: + 7 (8712) 22 32 63; + 7 (8712) 22 31 44, + 7 (495) 777 92 26

Dear Mr. Kuznetsov,

We are writing to express our concern about the recent abduction of Vagap Dudaevich Tutakov, a former representative of the self-styled Ichkeria parliament to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). We urgently request the Office of the Procurator of the Chechen Republic to take immediate action to investigate his abduction.

We are a group of international nongovernmental organizations that document human rights violations in the Europe and Central Asia region and worldwide. Our organizations have followed cases of enforced disappearances in Chechnya and have well-founded reason to believe that Tutakov’s life and well-being are in great danger.

According to reports, Vagap Tutakov disappeared on September 12, 2007 in the Urus-Martan district of Chechnya. Vagap Tutakov’s brother told a local non-governmental organization that he and his uncle were driving to meet Tutakov and were intercepted by armed men in camouflaged uniforms who arrived in four cars. An armed man in civilian clothes demanded Tutakov’s brother to phone and tell him to come to the area where they were stopped. Before he had a chance to call, Tutakov arrived. The armed men forced Tutakov to get into their car and drove off in the direction of Gudermes. He has not been seen since.

Immediately after the incident, Tutakov’s brother contacted the Urus-Martan District Department of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chechen Republic to report the abduction. Both governmental bodies claimed they were not involved in the incident.

There is reason to believe that Tutakov was targeted for this abduction due to his political ideas and affiliations. Tutakov has actively supported the idea of Chechnya’s independence from Russia since 1991. He represented the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Russia, and in 1997 was elected as a deputy of the parliament of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He left Russia at the beginning of the second Chechen conflict, and served as a representative of the self-styled Ichkeria parliament to PACE in Strasbourg until 2003. Tutakov strongly criticized the deployment of federal forces into Chechnya and Russia’s policies on the North Caucasus.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the International Helsinki Federation, and the International Federation for Human Rights have serious concerns about Tutakov’s safety and well-being. Our organizations have documented that people subject to arbitrary and incommunicado detention in Chechnya are in grave danger of torture, ill-treatment, and extrajudicial execution. Numerous intergovernmental organizations, such as the PACE, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the United Nations Committee against Torture have expressed concern about the use of enforced disappearances, illegal detention and torture in Chechnya.

We fear for the safety of Tutakov and urge the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Chechen Republic to share with Tutakov’s family information about Tutakov’s safety and whereabouts and to take immediate action into this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Holly Cartner, Executive Director
Human Rights Watch, Europe and Central Asia Division                
Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF)

Souhayr Belhassen, President
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

Nicola Duckworth, Director
Amnesty International, Europe and Central Asia Programme

CC:     Y. Y. Chaika, General Procurator of the Russian Federation
R.A. Kadyrov, President of the Chechen Republic