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This News Service is posted by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International, 1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ (Tel +44-71-413-5500,
Fax +44-71-956-1157)
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News Service 11/96

19 JANUARY 1996
AI INDEX : EUR 46/03/96


RUSSIAN FEDERATION: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNS FURTHER
TAKING OF HOSTAGES AND CALLS ON ALL PARTIES TO ENSURE THEIR
SAFETY

Amnesty International today condemned the actions of the
group of gunmen who seized a ferry in the Turkish port of
Trabzon and threatened to blow up the vessel in the busy
Bosphorus strait,    allegedly under orders from Chechen
commander Shamil Basayev.

      The organization also condemned the actions of Chechen
fighters who, in a separate incident this Tuesday, seized 30
more hostages at an electrical plant near the Chechen capital
Grozny and took them to an unknown destination.

      According to Amnesty International, both the Chechen
forces and the Russian Government should ensure the safety of
the remaining hostages in or outside of Pervomaiskoye and
take all possible steps to avoid civilian casualties. The
human rights organization also urges the Chechen fighters and
their supporters in Turkey to release immediately all
hostages unharmed.

      Amnesty International is calling on all parties to the
conflict to abide by the rules of war, which prohibit hostage
taking.

      The human rights organization has been greatly
concerned the past three days about the plight of the
hostages held by Chechen fighters in the village of
Prevomaiskoye. Concern for the hostages~ safety was
heightened by reports of heavy artillery and Grad rocket
attacks on the village by the Russian army, which appeared to
signal its intention to end the hostage crisis by resorting
to an indiscriminate attack.

      At present, Amnesty International is looking for
further clarification on the latest official statement by
President Yeltsin saying that the Russian military attack on
Pervomaiskoye ended and 82 hostages were freed.

ENDS\


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