Hundreds of civilian deaths at the hands of federal troops in Chechnya have been documented by a Russian rights group over the last couple of years. First editions of the 542-page volume finally came off the press on Wednesday in preparation for the Frankfurt book fair.
Entitled People Live Here, a sign frequently posted by civilians over the rubble of buildings in the republic's capital Grozny, the publication will be sold to the public at the German book fair from Sunday.
Author and political commentator Viktor Shenderovich, who contributed the back-sleeve summary, said the work was in part provoked by Putin's comments over two years ago. Shenderovich was referring to the president’s remarks during his October 2001 visit to Brussels, when a visibly agitated Russian leader brushed aside a reporter's question about rights abuses in Chechnya.
"Whose rights are we abusing”, Putin demanded. "Give me names, records, family names. We should be speaking the same language instead of using cliches," Putin then said. As if in answer to the challenge, the volume documents the cases of 489 Chechens killed during the six-month stretch – giving names and details.
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