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Moscow Chechens live in fear
MOSCOW, Russia -- As Moscow emerges from the shock of last month's hostage crisis, there is growing concern that innocent members of the capital's small Chechen community are being singled out for persecution. For decades, ethnic Chechens have faced discrimination in Russia. But after Chechen rebels took hundreds of Russians hostage in a Moscow theatre, the Muslim minority here is feeling the weight of Russian suspicion now more than ever. With war in their homeland, Chechens in Moscow have long shouldered public mistrust, with many saying they have tolerated abuse from skinheads and police. But in the aftermath of the hostage crisis, the fear is of a more general backlash. The Russian public, they say, is angry and hostile towards them. Few Chechen families in Moscow are willing to appear on television. But Said Bisoyev, a Chechen journalist and father of four, was willing to speak to CNN. He described how panic and fear is spreading throughout his community amid Russian fury at the hostage crisis. "From the first day of the crisis until now, my children have not been to school, or to play outside," he says. "They cannot leave the apartment because there would be people who will accuse them or do something to them because they are Chechens." But it is Chechen men who are now being detained daily by the Russian authorities. Police say they have dozens in custody in what officials describe as an effort to prevent terrorism -- but one which human rights groups say gives police virtual license to harass and extract bribes. Marie Struthers, from Human Rights Watch, says there is a well-established pattern of discrimination and abuse by police against Chechens in Russia. "Police in Moscow don't have a terrific track record in human rights. What we've seen in the last few days is an increase of arbitrary arrests of Chechens and others of Caucasian origin," she told CNN. She described cases of Chechens experiencing extortion and verbal and physical mistreatments, as well as police suspects who claimed they had drugs planted on them to justify their arrest. But Struthers stressed that "the level of sympathy (toward Chechens) isn't non-existent" in the capital. "We were impressed by President (Vladimir) Putin making a public statement (during the hostage siege) for police not to discriminate against Chechens living in Moscow. But it seems the message hasn't been passed down in light of what we've seen recently, " Struthers said. It is the terrifying images of Chechen hostage-takers in the Moscow theatre, some strapped with explosives, that many Russians may never forget. More than a hundred hostages lost their lives. And many Chechens who watched in horror as the tragedy unfolded say they understand the anger now directed against them.
"I blame both sides for this. The rebels give the government a reason to treat us badly. But Putin should do more for the Chechens who live in Russia so they can feel safe," Bisoyev said. In recent days the Kremlin has repeatedly called for restraint towards ordinary Chechens. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Wednesday the military would not cut its presence in Chechnya until rebel leaders were eliminated, and President Putin, hoping for Chechens' support, promised that the troops would not target civilians. But there are real concerns in Moscow that Chechen rebels will strike again -- and real anger against a people seen by many Russians as their enemy. -- CNN correspondent Matthew Chance contributed to this report.
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