Zalina Elhoroeva (F) <\/strong><\/p>\n On 22 December, Zalina Elhoroeva was taken away by armed camouflaged men wearing balaclavas in the North Caucasus, Russia, according to two witnesses. Her family has filed complaints with law enforcement agencies, but Zalina has not been seen since, and her whereabouts are unknown. Armed camouflaged men in balaclavas who spoke native Russian requested to see their papers, following which they took Zalina Elhoroeva into a silver-coloured VAZ-2114 and drove her away without any explanation. The driver was told to drive to \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cChermenskii Krug\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d (a checkpoint on the administrative border between North Ossetia and Ingushetia, staffed by armed law enforcement officers) and wait for her. However, Zalina Elhoroeva did not appear. <\/p>\n BACKGROUND INFORMATION <\/strong><\/p>\n Zalina Elhoroeva was travelling to Vladikavkaz to visit her brother, Timur Elhoroev, who had been transferred from a hospital to a pre-trial detention centre by a law enforcement agency earlier in December. He was in hospital following an incident on 18 November in Nazran when unknown men opened fire at a car in which he was travelling during which he was badly wounded and the driver killed. According to human rights centre Memorial, Timur Elhoroev\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s father is unaware of what charges have been made against his son. <\/p>\n Amnesty International has received numerous reports from Ingushetia, Noth Ossetia and across the North Caucasus in Russia of people being detained by masked members of law enforcement agencies who refuse to introduce themselves and explain the reason for the person\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s detention and where he\/she is being taken to. In a number of cases, after a period of initial incommunicado detention the family later learns that their relative is under investigation and being held by police or other law enforcement agencies. In other cases, such persons\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 whereabouts have never become known to the family. <\/p>\n Enforced disappearance is a crime under international law violating the right to recognition as a person before the law, the right to liberty and the security of the person, the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right to life. <\/p>\n The security situation in the North Caucasus is volatile, with violence affecting Ingushetia and North Ossetia. Armed groups have been launching sporadic attacks against law enforcement officials, but have also targeted civilians indiscriminately in suicide bombings. In September, a car bomb in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia-Alania, reportedly killed at least 17 people and left over 100 injured. There are also regularly reported allegations that law enforcement officials use unlawful methods to combat armed violence which often involve violation of human rights. Alleged cases of disappearances, unlawful detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and extrajudicial execution are regularly reported from across the North Caucasus. <\/p>\n PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY<\/strong> in Russian or your own language: PLEASE SEND APPEALS TO: (Time difference = GMT + 4 hrs \/ BST + 3 hrs) <\/p>\n Minister of Interior Prosecutor of North Ossetia Head of UFSB RF for RSO-Alania For all numbers above, if a person answers, say clearly \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cFAX\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d. <\/p>\n PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEAL TO: PLEASE CHECK WITH THE UK SECTION IF SENDING APPEALS AFTER 04 FEBRUARY 2011. <\/p>\n Individuals At Risk Programme Tel: 020 7033 1572 Amnesty International UK WOMAN DISAPPEARED IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS RUSSIAN FEDERATION Zalina Elhoroeva (F) On 22 December, Zalina Elhoroeva was taken away by armed camouflaged men wearing balaclavas in the North Caucasus, Russia, according to two witnesses. Her family has filed complaints with law enforcement agencies, but Zalina has not been seen since, and her whereabouts are unknown.
\nZalina Elhoroeva (Yelkhoroeva), aged 30, was travelling by taxi from Valdikavkaz in North Ossetia to Nazran in Ingushetia in the North Caucasus, accompanied by her brother\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s wife. According to her family who received information from Zalina Elhoroeva\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s brother\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s wife and the taxi driver, on the way through the village of Chermen the road was blocked by four vehicles (models UAZ and VAZ-2114) which are often used by law enforcement agencies. <\/p>\n
\n* Urging the authorities to establish Zalina Elhoroeva\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s whereabouts and ensure her safety;
\n* Expressing concern that she may have been subjected to enforced disappearance;
\n* Calling for a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of her possible enforced disappearance, including identifying and bringing to justice those responsible for it.<\/p>\n
\nLt-Gen A. F. Akhmetkhanov
\nMinistry of Interior of North Ossetia
\nPushkinskaya street 10V
\nVladikavkaz 362004
\nRSO-Alania, Russian Federation
\nFax: +7 8672 53 45 54
\nEmail: mvdosetia@rambler.ru
\nSalutation: Dear Mr Minister <\/p>\n
\nMr Vladimir Pavlovich Vekshin
\nProsecutor\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s Office of RSO-Alania
\nPushkinskaya street 8
\nVladikavkaz 362004
\nRepublic of North Ossetia – Alania
\nRussian Federation
\nFax: +7 8672 53 23 72
\nEmail: info@procuror-osetia.ru
\nSalutation: Dear Mr Prosecutor <\/p>\n
\nMaj-Gen Oleg Yatskov
\nDirectorate of the Federal Security Service for North Ossetia
\nMordovtseva street 6
\nVladikavkaz 362040
\nRSO-Alania, Russian Federation
\nFax: +7 8672 53 41 76
\nSalutation: Dear Maj-Gen Yatskov <\/p>\n
\nMr. Alexander V. Sternik.
\nEmbassy of the Russian Federation
\n13 Kensington Palace Gardens
\nLondon W8 4QX
\nFax: 020 7727 8625
\nEmail: office@rusemblon.org <\/p>\n
\n* including Urgent Actions<\/p>\n
\nFax: 020 7033 1503
\nEmail: iar@amnesty.org.uk
\nWeb: www.amnesty.org.uk\/cases<\/p>\n
\nHuman Rights Action Centre
\n17-25 New Inn Yard
\nLondon
\nEC2A 3EA <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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