Acknowledgments

This report was researched and written by Tanya Lokshina, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Russia office. Essential research support was provided by Kathryn Koonce, associate in the Europe and Central Asia Division, and Tanya Cooper, field associate in Human Rights Watch's Russia office.

The report was edited by Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, and Ian Gorvin, senior program officer at Human Rights Watch. Aisling Reidy, senior legal advisor at Human Rights Watch, also reviewed the report and provided legal analysis. Veronika Szente Goldston, advocacy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, reviewed the recommendations. Anna Lopriore, Grace Choi, and Fitzroy Hepkins provided production support.

The report was translated into Russian by Igor Gerbich.

The map of Chechnya was designed by Michael Miller.

Human Rights Watch expresses its sincere gratitude to all who shared their stories with us. We hope that this report will contribute to ending human rights abuses in the region and will bring those responsible for punitive house-burnings and other grave abuses to justice.

We are deeply thankful for the invaluable support and contributions of the Memorial Human Rights Center, whose cooperation has been instrumental to our field research.

Human Rights Watch gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the individual and foundations donors who have made our work possible.