ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Research for this report was conducted in Ingushetia in November-December 2000 and February-March 2001 by Diederik Lohman, director of the Moscow office; Alexander Petrov, deputy director of the Moscow office; and Marie Struthers, consultant. Peter Bouckaert and Malcolm Hawkes, researchers; and Johanna Bjorken, consultant, conducted earlier research that contributed to this report. Diederik Lohman wrote this report. It was edited by Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia Division; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; and Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director. Invaluable assistance was provided by Liuda Belova, Roemer Lemaittre, Manja Nickel and Aleksei Ovcharuk in the Moscow office; Maria Pulzetti, associate for the Europe and Central Asia division; and Patrick Minges, publications director. Human Rights Watch also wishes to thank Arsen Sakalov and the rest of our Ingushetia staff, without whom we would not have been able to conduct the research for this report.

We are deeply grateful to the Memorial Human Rights Center for their contribution to this report and their collegiality, in Moscow and in Ingushetia.

Most of all, we wish to express our gratitude to those who agreed to share their stories with us, despite their fears of possible consequences. Many braved genuine danger to travel to Ingushetia to be interviewed by Human Rights Watch researchers. We hope that this report will contribute to ending the abuses faced by them and their loved ones, and bringing those responsible for "disappearances," summary executions, and other abuses to justice.

Human Rights Watch gratefully acknowledges the C.S. Mott Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, and the John Merck Fund for their generous support.

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Europe and Central Asia Division

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Reed Brody, advocacy director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance director; Jeri Laber special advisor; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; Jemera Rone, counsel; Malcolm Smart, program director; Wilder Tayler, general counsel; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair.

Its Europe and Central Asia division was established in 1978 to monitor and promote domestic and international compliance with the human rights accords of the 1975 Helsinki Accords. It is affiliated with the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, which is based in Vienna, Austria. Holly Cartner is the executive director; Rachel Denber is the deputy director; Elizabeth Andersen is the advocacy director; Cassandra Cavanaugh is senior researcher; Julia Hall, Bogdan Ivanisevic, Acacia Shields, and Jonathan Sugden are research associates; DiederikLohman is the Moscow office director; Alexander Petrov is the deputy Moscow office director; Rachel Bien, Liuda Belova, Elizabeth Eagen, Maria Pulzetti, Tamar Satnet, and Rebecca Stich are associates. Peter Osnos is the chair of the advisory committee and Alice Henkin is vice chair.