Chechen Rebels Granted Amnesty

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Chechen Rebels Granted Amnesty

A total of 123 Chechen rebels have been granted amnesty since it took effect more than two months ago, the Itar-Tass news agency reported, citing a source in the Chechen prosecutor's office.

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A total of 123 Chechen rebels have been granted amnesty since it took effect more than two months ago, the Itar-Tass news agency reported, citing a source in the Chechen prosecutor's office.

So far, an inquiry has been conducted with regard to 125 peoplewho voluntarily came to law-enforcement authorities and surrendered arms, the source said.

Alu Alkhanov, Chechen Interior Minister, told Itar-Tass earlieron Friday that there would be no prosecution against the people who are granted amnesty, if they do not commit any crimes afterward.

"I assure of this with all the responsibility," he stressed.

Col. Ilya Shabalkin, Russian military spokesman in the North Caucasus, said on Monday that Chechen law enforcement agencies arenegotiating the surrender of 15 members of a rebel group led by Magomed Khambiyev, Chechnya's former defense minister.

The amnesty, which took effect on June 6 and will expire on Sept. 1, aims to advance peace in Chechnya, a war-torn republic inRussia's Northern Caucasus. It followed a March referendum in which Chechens approved a Kremlin-backed constitution that cemented the region's status as part of Russia.

The amnesty offers immunity from prosecution to rebels who giveup their weapons and also applies to federal troops in Chechnya, who are suspected of abuses against civilians.

But the bill will not be granted to those who have committed grave crimes like murder, kidnapping, rape and assault, as well asforeigners and people without citizenship.

On July 31, Chechnya's Prosecutor Vladimir Kravchenko said thatthe amnesty would probably be extended.

Despite the amnesty, clashes between Russian servicemen and Chechen rebels are continuing. Over the past week, Russian troops have killed 36 and detained 59 gunmen. In the meantime, nine Russian servicemen were killed and 14 others were wounded in clashes with rebels, Itar-Tass reported.

Chechnya, a war-torn republic in Russia's Northern Caucasus, won de-facto independent status in 1996 after Russia pulled out troops from it. Russian troops re-entered the lawless region in September 1999 following attacks by Chechen-based fighters in a neighboring region and a series of deadly bombings blamed on the rebels.

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