The Statement of Human Rights Center – President Saakashvili shall Present Thorough Information on the Assistance Provided for Vladimir Putin

Human Rights Center is concerned with the statement of President Mikheil Saakashvili according to which in 2004 he assisted President of Russia Vladimir Putin in solving Chechnya related issue.

“In 2004 Putin reached decisive point in the issue of Chechnya and I helped him with it. Shevardnadze has never done it. Someone might say that I made a big mistake, but I think that violence and disorder will not work for Georgia and acted logically,” – stated Saakashvili on January 25th in the live TV phone-in The President Answers the People’s Questions.

Saakashvili added that hoped for Russia’s express of gratitude. However, Russia attacked Georgia after solving Chechnya issue.

According to Human Rights Center, President Saakashvili’s statement is directly or indirectly connected with the disappearance of Chechen refugees residing in Georgia, their imprisonment and extradition to Russia.

The Center is attentively studying and observing the state of Chechen refugees in Georgia. Since the Rose Revolution, during 2003-2010, some Chechen refugees disappeared. One of the latest facts is the disappearance of Said Hussein Tasbaev occurred in the October of 2009.

There is a reasonable doubt that some Chechen refugees were detained in Georgia by MIA and then transferred to Russia (which was requesting their extradition) without holding a trial. There were cases when Chechen refugees were openly imprisoned and despite their protests transferred to Russian side.

These facts are thoroughly reflected in the report prepared by Human Rights Center in 2006: “Silence kills – Abuse of Chechen refugees in Georgia.”

Human Rights Center calls on President Mikheil Saakashvili to specify and present thorough information to public “about the issues of Chechnya,” how and with what he helped Vladimir Putin and Russian government in broad, the criminal conducts of which carried out in Chechnya are strictly condemned by international institutions and organizations.

Human Rights Center