11:28, 5 May 2005

Chechnya's young go to mountains

A number of young men have gone to rebels in the mountains lately, according to information provided by residents of various districts in Chechnya. Many link this with the coming of spring and summer and intensified punitive and repressive actions on the part of Russian and local law enforcement and security agencies, including a dramatically increased number of targeted and sweeping clean-ups of all sorts in which young men are usually detained, the Information Centre of the Council of NGOs says.

In doing so, young men do not usually warn their parents and relatives about their plans. However, this does not save the latter from persecution on the part of the military and local law enforcement and security agencies demanding that they should say where their youngsters are.

Source: Infromation Center of the Council of NGOs