European Court blames Russian authorities of two brothers' disappearance in Chechnya

The European Court for Human Rights has found the guilt of the authorities of Russia of violent disappearance of two brothers Azievs in 2000 in Chechnya. This was reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Ole Solvang, Director of the Moscow's Representative Office of the Dutch Foundation "The Legal Initiative for Russia" who represented the victims' interests in Strasbourg.

"I had waited for this decision for eight years," said Lecha Aziev, father of the disappeared brothers and the applicant on the case. "We hope a lot that this decision will compel the Russian authorities to establish the fate of our sons and bring those responsible to justice."

According to the materials of the case, now accessible in the website of "The Legal Initiative", early in the morning on September 24, 2000, a group of eight militaries rushed into Azievs' house in Grozny. The attackers beat the head of the family Lecha Aziev, who received heavy traumas, including brain concussion and rib fracture.

The militaries refused to name themselves. They detained and took away two sons of the applicants to the European Court: Lom-Ali and Umar-Ali Azievs. The kidnappers had assured that the brothers would be released as soon as their personalities were established. Since then, the Azievs never saw their children again.

The Aziev family had addressed Russian authorities immediately, and on September 29, 2000, they initiated a criminal case on the fact of kidnapping. However, the case was stopped and restarted several times, and the investigation gave no results.