MOSCOW. Feb 7 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian presidential human rights commissioner in Chechnya Vladimir Kalamanov said in an interview with Rossiiskaya Gazeta that "nearly a dozen" criminal actions have been initiated against federal servicemen who participated in the special operation in the Chechen village of Bachi-Yurt.
"The last three operations involve an enormous number of violations of the law. If military and police operations are held this way in the future, the end result will be extremely negative," Kalamanov said. "So far there is only one thing that deserves praise - the position of principle, assumed by the Chechen prosecutor's office," he said, noting that the command of the federal troops "instantly responds to all our inquires."
"Why do people disappear in virtually every operation? They are not phantoms. They are Russian citizens and local residents. A person may be arrested if well-founded charges have been brought against him. Such a situation is clear, as criminals must be held in prison. Even the Chechens admit that if a person is suspected of having committed a crime, the issue must be taken to court. At least, they may be sure then, that the person is alive. But when people disappear into nothingness, I cannot accept any justifications," Kalamanov said.
He described the recent arrests and disarmament of Chechen prosecutors as "flagrant violations of the law." "We have evidence suggesting that the military commit crimes. I am not confirming this, since the investigation has not been completed. But if these facts are proven, no worse damage could be inflicted on Russia. Not a single bandit will manage to do more harm to Russia," he said.
He announced that 376 criminal cases and 315 cases involving searches for missing people were opened before November 2001. One- hundred-and-twenty-six missing persons have been found. In total, several thousands criminal cases have been started against federal servicemen. More than 100 cases have been taken to court and over 50 verdicts have been handed down. "Many are serving long prison terms. Following the suspension of capital punishment, they were sentenced to maximum terms," said Kalamanov.