Russia's top human rights envoy for Chechnya today pledged to European monitors that Moscow would prosecute more troops charged with committing abuses in the breakaway republic.
During a visit by a parliamentary delegation of the Council of Europe, Mr Vladimir Kalamanov vowed to narrow the gap between the high numbers of complaints registered and the small number of cases that made it to the court system.
British peer Lord Judd raised the issue during a meeting between local judges in a small town in northwestern Chechnya and his delegation from the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly.
The assembly stung Russia last year by suspending its voting rights because of alleged widespread abuses in Chechnya. The assembly is to review that decision later this month.
Mr Kalamanov told Judd the disparity between complaints and court cases had been caused by a breakdown in the judicial system linked to the 16-month conflict: Now a system has been created, so the gap will get smaller and smaller.
Mr Judd asked: "Can I say in my report that Mr Kalamanov has given us an assurance that the gap between the number of cases reported and those brought to court will decrease?"
"Yes, I promise that. There is no other way," replied Mr Kalamanov, who said he needed three months to ensure similar improvements were made in the military courts.
Reuters