GROZNY. April 25 (Interfax) - Media reports that inmates at a corrective institution in Chernokozovo, Chechnya, have been on a hunger strike are untrue, the Justice Ministry division for corrective institutions in Chechnya has announced.
"The penitentiary is functioning as usual," head of the division Gen. Ali Iriskhanov told Interfax on Friday.
A fight broke out between seven inmates on Wednesday, Iriskhanov said. "The conflict started as they were watching TV. Some wanted to watch one channel, others another. After they beat each other, they were taken to hospital for examination. One still remains in hospital," Iriskhanov said.
The men who started the fight were placed in penal cell for five to ten days to prevent the resumption of the incident, he said.
"In the morning some of the inmates said they would go on hunger strike and would refused to take food, if the punishment of the organizers is not cancelled, but during lunch absolutely everyone turned up and took food. They are not political prisoners. Most of them were sentenced for drug-related crimes and such demarches as hunger strikes are useless," Iriskhanov said.
"Presently there are no problems at the penitentiary. The organizers of the fight apologized to each other and shook hands, so we do not expect any repercussions," he said.