The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro...

The Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles accused Russian troops of "criminal" behaviour in Chechnya and insisted that military abuses against civilians must not remain unpunished. "You cannot fight against criminal actions with criminal methods. You cannot fight against terrorism by abandoning the principles of a state of law," said Gil-Robles. "No one can benefit from immunity. Neither the terrorists, nor the representatives of the security forces," he added. Russian forces, which swept into Chechnya in October 1999 in a bid to crush separatist forces, were accused of abuses against civilians, including summary executions, rape, torture and disappearances.