Thomas Hammarberg thinks human rights abuses are occurring in the Caucasus

EU Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg has stated that cases of kidnapping and killing in the North Caucasus are not being properly investigated. He said this after visiting Chechnya and Ingushetia in September. He said that in the first half of 2009 Russia conducted 116 special operations against terrorists but there is no visible sign of the number of kidnappings and killings diminishing and illegal militia still flourish.

Hammarberg said that so far in 2009 3,704 Chechens had been killed and mass graves had been found. He insisted that the people buried there be identified.