20:44, 25 August 2003

Kungayevs have left Russia forever

Relatives of Elza Kungayeva, who was savagely murdered by Colonel Yuri Budanov in 2000, have left Russia. As journalist Anna Politkovskaya said, the Kungayev family has left to "one European country" forever. According to Politkovskaya's words, Elza's parents fear that Budanov's "friends" will not let them alone. They fear for the life and health of their remaining children.

Meanwhile, it is known that Budanov threatened Elza's parents many times during a hearing of his case. So, Budanov promised in his final plea in court he would "turn off himself the head" of the girl's farter, Visa Kungayev.

The Kungayev family arrived in Oslo on Wednesday. Human rights activists, government officials and members of Norway's Chechen diaspora were waiting for them. The Kungayevs arrived in Norway by the invitation of the Norwegian branch of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. Visa Kungayev said he was not going to return to Chechnya until he was not sure nothing threatened his family there.

Source: The Chechen Times Website