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Troops jailed for Chechnya murder | Troops jailed for Chechnya murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A military court in southern Russia has sentenced four soldiers to prison terms for murdering six Chechen civilians. | A military court in southern Russia has sentenced four soldiers to prison terms for murdering six Chechen civilians. |
Just one of those convicted was in court in Rostov-on-Don - Maj Alexei Perelevsky. The others had vanished and were tried in absentia. | Just one of those convicted was in court in Rostov-on-Don - Maj Alexei Perelevsky. The others had vanished and were tried in absentia. |
In a rare conviction for Russian soldiers, they were found guilty of opening fire on a van in Chechnya, killing the driver and five passengers. | |
The special forces troops received terms ranging from nine to 14 years. | The special forces troops received terms ranging from nine to 14 years. |
Two separate juries had earlier acquitted the men in the so-called "Ulman" case, but those verdicts were overturned by higher courts. | |
The incident happened near Dai, a village in the Shatoi region of the war-ravaged North Caucasus republic, in January 2002. | The incident happened near Dai, a village in the Shatoi region of the war-ravaged North Caucasus republic, in January 2002. |
The investigation showed that one Chechen died and two were wounded in the initial shooting, when the troops opened fire on the van. | |
But the other five Chechens were shot dead after the order was given to destroy all the evidence, the investigation found. A head teacher and a pregnant woman were among the victims. | |
The case has caused great bitterness and controversy in Russia - especially among Chechens, the BBC's James Rodgers reports from Moscow. | |
Chechnya was devastated by heavy fighting that started in 1994 when Russian troops first poured in to crush a separatist movement. | Chechnya was devastated by heavy fighting that started in 1994 when Russian troops first poured in to crush a separatist movement. |
Russia has seen few such trials for abuses committed in Chechnya - abuses which have drawn international condemnation. | Russia has seen few such trials for abuses committed in Chechnya - abuses which have drawn international condemnation. |
Yuri Budanov was the first Russian officer to be prosecuted for a crime against a civilian in Chechnya. He was jailed for 10 years in 2003 for strangling a Chechen girl to death. | Yuri Budanov was the first Russian officer to be prosecuted for a crime against a civilian in Chechnya. He was jailed for 10 years in 2003 for strangling a Chechen girl to death. |
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