The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russian special forces were involved in the kidnapping of the former head of the Memorial human rights center Oleg Orlov and three journalists from Ren TV channel, kidnapped and assaulted in 2007 in Russia's Republic of Ingushetia. Memorial published a statement on the case on Tuesday.
Orlov and the journalists arrived in Nazran, a city in Ingushetia, to cover a rally devoted to a six year-old boy who died in the course of a special operation. They were kidnapped in the middle of the night by several armed men, who took them to a forest, hooded them, brutally beat them and took their equipment and personal belongings. An investigation into the incident was suspended due to "lack of suspects," according to the Meduza website.
Russia has not provided proof that the authorities were not involved in the attack. Russia's law enforcements also did not properly investigate the attack, the ruling said.
ECHR ruled that the victims were tortured and unlawfully deprived of freedom and should be awared 84,000 euros in compensation.
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