Chechen prosecutor's office unable to interrogate the serviceman suspected of kidnapping Chilaev

Valeri Kuznetsov, prosecutor of Chechnya, when meeting human rights activists on May 25 in Grozny, stated that the investigation of the kidnapping of Bulat Chilaev, member of the "Civil Assistance" committee on support of refugees, and Aslan Israilov, resident of Grozny who had disappeared together with him, was progressing at a normal rate and taken under special supervision. "However, he has related that they have not managed to interrogate the officer whose name badge was found on the place of the crime because he is not a civilian, he really serves in the "West" battalion, he is very busy and always engaged in operations. He alleges that they are a civilian prosecutor's office, not a military one, and are not able to exert pressure to have him come for interrogation," tells Svetlana Gannushkina, chairperson of the "Civil Assistance" Committee, to the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot."

Earlier, Gannushkina told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that on May 23 intermediaries of the criminals had informed the relatives of Bulat Chilaev that that he and Aslan Israilov had been killed on April 9, the day of "disappearance," and made a proposal to prevent a picket in Grozny demanding that Bulat and his kidnappers should be found, which had taken place on Thursday, May 25 in Grozny, in exchange for his body.

Bulat Chilaev and Aslan Israilov, resident of Grozny, were captured by armed men at the exit from the village of Sernovodsk, Sunzhen district, Chechnya, and taken to an unknown place on April 9.

"Since on the place of the kidnapping they have found the name badge of an officer of the "West" battalion under the of the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the RF Ministry of Defence, under the command of Said-Magomet Kakiev, in all probability this unit is involved in the disappearance of our employee and his co-traveller, said Svetlana Gannushkina, member of the Council on facilitation of civil society development and human rights under the RF President, to the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot." - We demand a true and serious investigation of the kidnapping, as required in case of any crime, rather than as it, alas, has been happening in Chechnya in recent years."

"According to our information, the "Zhiguli" car driven by Chilaev was stopped at the exit from the village of Sernovodsk by a group of armed people wearing camouflage and masks. There were both Russians and Chechens among the attackers. Without any explanations, they stormed Chilaev and Israilov, cruelly beat them, threw Israilov into the boot of their car and forced Chilaev into the back seat and drove them in the direction of Grozny. They also took away Chilaev's car," told an employee of the "Memorial" human rights centre to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Relatives of Bulat Chilaev and Aslan Israilov have applied virtually to all power authorities and state agencies of the republic but failed to learn anything about the fate of the kidnapped persons. Additionally, Svetlana Gannushkina, chairperson of the "Civil Assistance" committee, has contacted the management and the power authorities of the republic with a request to help find their employee, but also in vain. Virtually all power authorities deny their involvement in the kidnapping of Chilaev and Israilov. Neither their location, nor their fate are known," says the "Memorial" activist.