I do not know who will read this letter, but I would like it will help one way or another these people so-called “boeviki” (fighters). I myself am here to be sure to receive my daily allowance. But I decided to inform you because I think that the fact of knowing what happens here and not to do anything , it would really be criminal.

Here, what we do to these people, I say « we » because I am part of torturers, even if I am a private soldier, and all that I can do to help them is to write. Before I arrived here, I have always been told they were all enemies and criminals, but in point of fact they are normal people. They find themselves here for the following reasons :

1 – passport not registered again

2 – no passport, now here, no passports are delivered since 1996, the 17, 18 or 19 years old boys cannot have some

3 – passport registred in another village, if a guy is arrested when visiting a neighbouring village

4 – breaking of curfew, for example if a guy has gone out to smoke after 18:00

5 – discovery in a house of a military tent, a belt, etc. Then one says “what is it, where does it come from, when ?”

Here, they are literally slaughtered. One hear their screams, these strong man’s screams to whom one breaks everything that can be broken. Some are sodomized, or are obliged to do it to each other. If there is a hell, it is here. In my opinion, their fault is that they did not go fight against us. Yes, here was, for a few days, this journalist, this Babitski. We did not go so far as to sodomize him, but he has really been beaten and humiliated, his glasses were flying, the poor man.

They bring them here every day in great numbers. There is up to 700 people. But man suspected to be “boeviki” (fighters) are only seven. They are already half-corpses. This is what they deserve, I don’t pity for them. Two of them have already got done it. I have trouble in describing these exotic way to break human being, to change man into animal.  I am coming to the end, but I would like, if there is in this world a force able to do something, help these people.

I am disappointed by my government. It is lie, cheating, hypocrisy. Well, I finish. I don’t write well, after all.

I don’t give my name, for obvious reasons.

02/03/2000

Naur (Northern Chechnya)

Tchernokozovo

ITK  [ispravitelnaļa troudovaļa kolonna : re-education by work]

I am highly
thankful to you for reading my letter.