[JURIST Europe] The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights [official website] has claimed in a new report [text] that Russia is maintaining secret prisons in Chechnya [BBC backgrounder; government website, in Russian] and is using them for kidnapping and torturing separatist Chechens in violation of European and Russian laws.

The group submitted the report to Dick Marty [official profile], the Chairperson of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe [official website]. Marty is also heading the investigation into alleged secret CIA detention centers in Europe. In the past, Russia has rejected allegations of Chechen torture [JURIST report] and has not yet commented on the latest report. Voice of America has more.

Tatyana Margolin is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.