International conference on Chechnya in Istanbul

A conference timed to the so called "presidential elections" that were held by the Russian authorities in Chechnya took place in Istanbul on October 4. About 100 people participated in the conference, including Turkish parliament deputies, Aslan Maskhadov's official representatives, activists of the international organization "Human Rights Watch", journalists of Turkish TV agencies, radio stations and papers, and Chechen journalists.

The Turkish humanitarian organization IHH headed by Bulent Yildirim was an organizer of the conference. All the people who came out stated unambiguously it was illegal to obtrude a farce of so called "elections" upon the Chechen people. General representative of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria abroad, health minister of Ichkeria Umar Khanbiyev declared in his speech that Kadyrov would never be "president" of Chechnya, he would forever be a resident of Moscow, in spite of any manipulation of Moscow in occupied Chechnya.

HRW spokesman claimed the Russian troops committed mass war crimes against peaceful citizens in Chechnya. The elections that are held in such a situation are illegal and have no legal effect.