Russian Prosecutors Bring New Charges Against Zakayev
The Russian Prosecutor Generals Office has launched a new criminal case against Chechen separatist envoy Akhmed Zakayev on charges of instigating ethnic enmity, Interfax news agency reports. In June-July 2006, Zakayev, who resides in the United Kingdom, gave several interviews, allowing himself to use such phrases as to oust Russians from Chechnya, to throw Russians away, the Russian aggressors inhuman methods and so on, the Prosecutor Generals Office said in a release. These phrases convey an intention to instigate hatred and enmity with regards to ethnic Russians, and to shape a negative ethnic image of Russian people. Zakayev ascribes hostile actions and dangerous plans against residents of the Chechen Republic to Russians and, in fact, issues a threat of the use of force against ethnic Russians, the Prosecutor Generals Office said.
Prosecutors claim that Zakaevs actions come under the British law on terrorism, which envisages criminal responsibility for spurring terrorist activity. In particular the law restricts calling for committing or preparation of terrorist acts. Prosecutors informed Britain about their position. Earlier Zakaev was charged with armed rebellion, forming of criminal bands and an attempt to kill a police officer. Russian authorities think Zakaev could have been involved in the terrorist seizure of a theater on Dubrovka Street in Moscow. Earlier a British court refused to hand over Zakaev to Russia, Gazeta.ru online daily reports.
Posted by: Fred 2006-07-27 |