Regional branch leader of Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship fears of his abduction

At about 0:30 a.m. on 26 January 2004, the chairman of the Chechen-Ingush regional branch of the Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship, Imran Ezhiev, got through to the editorial staff of the Society. He said that the day before he had returned from the Chechen Republic, where he had been to inquire into circumstances of the abduction and murder of Aslan Davletukayev, the Society's volunteer. Imran informed that a grey Zhiguli car without number plates had been following him since the moment of his return and he was afraid of abduction or other illegal actions against him. The fact that GIBDD (State Inspection for Traffic Security) officers did not stop the car without number plates was most likely evidence that officers of special services were in it.

Since the moment of the Society's creation in April 2000, Imran Ezhiev has been arbitrary detained and held in custody by Russian security agencies many times. The latter case when Ezhiev was illegally imprisoned took place on 15 March 2003. On 18 March 2003, after a number of protests from international organizations, Imran Ezhiev was released. When holding Ezhiev in custody, the abductors interrogated him, asking about his public activity and the activity of the Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship.