Front Line is deeply concerned following the Supreme Court of North Ossetia's decision to uphold a ban on human rights organisation Voice of Beslan. A Nasran district court has also filed charges of extremism against the organisation. Voice of Beslan is an organisation representing the rights of victims of the Beslan hostage crisis in 2004, in which a terrorist group seized a school, taking 1128 hostages and killing over 200 adults and children. Voice of Beslan has monitored and publicly criticised the Russian Federation authorities' handling of the investigation into the tragedy. They have submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and have called for an international enquiry into the conduct of Russian Federation security forces during the rescue operation.

Further Information

Posted 11/01/2008 On 25 August 2007, Voice of Beslan, under its current leadership and with its current membership, was ruled illegitimate by a district court in Vladikavkaz when its official registration was withdrawn. The organisation was reportedly “re-registered” by the authorities, registering it under new leadership and a different membership.

On 19 December 2007, the Supreme Court of North Ossetia upheld the decision to ban Voice of Beslan. In response to this decision, Ella Kesaeva, Chair of Voice of Beslan is reported to have initiated a hunger strike. Furthermore, the acting prosecutor of Nasran, Ingushetia, M. Aushev, has filed a complaint to the Nasran district court against Voice of Beslan, accusing the organisation of extremism. The hearing has been scheduled to take place on 14 January 2008.

Front Line believes that the aforementioned ban and charges that have been filed against Voice of Beslan are related to the organisation's non-violent and legitimate activities in defense of human rights.