Human rights activist accuses Ingushetian authorities of shadowing

Aslambek Apaev, expert of the Moscow Helsinki Group and Chairman of the Committee in Defence of Forced Migrants' Rights, told in his interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that after his meeting in Ingushetia with refugees from Northern Ossetia he and other human rights activists were shadowed by unknown people in a car that had no identification symbols.

According to the human rights activist, the incident happened last night in the vicinity of the city of Karabulak in the territory of the Republic of Ingushetia.

"Yesterday in the city of Karabulak I had a meeting with representatives of forced migrants from the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia. I went to Karabulak on their (forced migrants') request. At the meeting, we discussed the problems of forced migrants and the continuing discrimination of Ingush nationals," Mr Apaev said.

"Immediately after our departure, my driver and I noticed a car that shadowed us. I telephoned to my colleagues who drove other cars in other directions, and learnt that they also were followed by unknown persons in cars without registration number plates," said the source.

"Having already a certain experience of how to behave in such situations, we swung the car round (the same was done by my colleagues in other cars) and started to approach our persecutors. They began retreating and soon disappeared at all. Who those people were, and what the aim of the action was - we don't know," he said.

Besides, Aslambek Apaev asserts that his and his colleagues' telephone conversations were tapped.

In Mr Apaev's opinion, the incident indicates that certain forces are not interested in discussing and subsequent resolution of the problem of returning the forced migrants from the Prigorodny District back to their homes.

The "Caucasian Knot" reported earlier that local human rights activists had earlier complained of shadowing during their meetings with refugees from Northern Ossetia.

See earlier reports: "."