16:43, 12 June 2004

Slovak citizen disappears in North Caucasus

Miriam Yevikova, a Slovak citizen who worked for the Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU), disappeared on the way from Pyatigorsk to Vladikavkaz on June 1, Dmitry Grushkin, a representative of the Memorial Human Rights Center, reported on June 11.

An OPU delegation visited Pyatigorsk on May 18. On May 19, it visited Memorial's office in Nazran and returned to Pyatigorsk after it. The visit of the OPU delegation ended on May 23. It departed for Moscow. Ms Yevikova remained in Pyatigorsk since she was going to continue to work independently.

"We have information that Ms Yevikova left Pyatigorsk for Vladikavkaz in a white Zhiguli taxi in the morning of June 1. She did not arrive in Vladikavkaz and there has been no news from her since that time," Mr Grushkin said.

Representatives of UN aid agencies in Moscow as well as spokesmen for the South Osetian, Chechen, and Ingush interior ministries announced on June 11 they had no information on the destiny of Miriam Yevikova.

Source: Interfax News Agency