Aslan Davletukaev, a human rights defender working with the Society of Russian-Chechen Friendship in Chechnya, was reportedly forcibly abducted from his home in Chechnya on 10 January. His body was discovered on 16 January near a highway into Gudermes town. He had been shot in the back of the head and his body bore signs of torture.
Front Line has called on the Russian authorities to open an independent investigation into his abduction and killing, and has called for urgent steps to be taken to ensure the protection of human rights defenders in Chechnya.
Aslan Sheripovich Davletukaev, (born 1973), was watching television with a friend in his home in the village of Avtur, Shalinsk Region of the Chechen Republic, at around 10.15pm on 10 January. Around 50 armed men arrived in several vehicles. They were dressed in military style camouflaged clothing, but without insignia, and broke into Aslan Davletukaev's home. They forced him into one of their cars and drove him away. Witnesses reportedly stated that they thought the armed men, who spoke in Russian, were Russian Federal servicemen. 
