Ask Amnesty

From Joe:

What is the reaction of Chechens to Russia being accepted into NATO without the human rights violations taking place in Chechnya even being mentioned?

Eliza Moussaeva and Bela Tsugaeva are two human rights defenders from Chechnya who have recently completed a tour in the US.

Chechens have a feeling that NATO is barely aware of the atrocities committed against civilians in Chechnya. In winter 2000, during a cleansing operation conducted by Russian soldiers, at place called district 20, a whole street of civilians including women, elderly and children were moved out of their houses and shot dead. And only one eyewitness survived. But he went crazy with what he had seen. If NATO was there and could see it or if NATO can hear scream of 17 years old Elza Kungaeva, who was raped and strangled by Russian Army colonel Budanov, who is still not found guilty, if NATO can eyewitness a lot of other violations which take place in Chechnya on a daily basis, then it will never accept Russia.