In January 2010 the Chechen representation of INGO “Committee against Torture” received an application from Irisbay Umarpashayev claiming that his son, Islam Umarpashayev, was abducted on   11 December 2009. According to the applicant, his son Islam was abducted by the Chechen police on 11 December 2009 from his home in Grozny.

The Chechen investigation authorities opened an investigation into the fact of abduction.

Right after Islam’s abduction his father applied to the Prosecutor’s Office. However, only on 16 December 2009 his application was submitted to an investigator for a check to be conducted. Moreover, criminal proceedings under art. 126 of the RF Criminal Code (abduction of a person) were started only on 28 December.  Though the criminal case was started a month ago, the family still has no information about Islam’s whereabouts.

In such circumstances the Committee against Torture decided to file an application with the European Court of Human Rights. The next day after receiving the application the ECtHR sent an urgent letter to the RF government asking questions about Islam Umarpashayev’s abduction. In particular, till 24 February 2010 the RF government has to report what measures it has taken to find Islam and whether he was detained by state agents in course of a raid.  The Court also wants to study the materials of the criminal case. And finally, the ECtHR wonders what general measures the RF takes in order to ensure security of the Chechen population and effective investigation of abductions.