17 August 2005, 19:50
Former Guantanamo prisoner released
Rasul Kudayev, a former Guantanamo prisoner who was yesterday brought away from home by police officers, was released later yesterday and the police apologised to him. Physical violence was not used against him, according to Rasul.
Rasul Kudayev was yesterday abducted by unknown persons in camouflage uniforms and masks. Right after that, his mother Fatima Kudayev contacted Mr Clive Stafford Smith, a UK lawyer and chief legal officer of the charitable organisation Reprieve who is preparing a suit to the International Court of Human Rights on behalf of former Guantanamo prisoners. There is information the lawyer called the Kabardino-Balkaria prosecutor's office after which Kudayev was released.
Rasul is known to be very ill. He needs surgical treatment, but he cannot receive it because he has no passport. His home, as well as that of another former Guantanamo prisoner, Ruslan Odizhev, is often searched without legal grounds. Ruslan's mother Nina Odizhev says literally several days ago unknown people in camouflage uniforms made her small grandchildren open the door and searched the flat while the adults were at work.
Author: Lyudmila Maratova, CK correspondent
