AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

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FACTS OF THE CASE:

Arjan Erkel, Head of Mission for the French medical aid organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has been held hostage since 12 August 2002 when three gunmen in Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian Republic of Dagestan, abducted him. Erkel was in the region providing medical assistance and humanitarian aid to displaced people from the neighboring region of Chechnya.

MSF received proof confirming that Erkel was still alive towards the end of July 2003. During an official visit to Switzerland in October, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs gave further confirmation that Erkel was alive. In September, MSF met with American officials, including U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and participated in diplomatic efforts at the United Nations General Assembly in order to accelerate the investigation into the abduction. Last month, representatives from MSF attended a summit in Rome of the European Union and Russia where they called upon the Prime Minister of Russia and other fellow EU officials to press Putin to guarantee Erkel’s release.

Humanitarian workers in the Caucasus region have been at increasing risk for abduction by criminal groups. Fellow MSF worker Kenneth Gluck was kidnapped in January 2001 and held for 25 days by unidentified gunmen in Chechnya. MSF coordinator of the Russian aid organization “Druzhba” Nina Davidovic was abducted in July 2002 in Chechnya and released the following January. After tensions became high following Davidovic’s abduction, Erkel knew that he could be a potential target for kidnapping. According to colleagues, Erkel was highly aware of the threats of kidnapping and felt deeply responsible for the safety of the Dagestan team.

MSF has released public statements voicing their concerns that Russian authorities have not demonstrated enough political will regarding a full investigation of Erkel’s case. The group has also been highly critical of the authorities for not providing MSF with any information about the likely kidnappers or their motives. In February 2003, MSF launched an online petition on Erkel’s behalf (http://www.msf.org/arjan/petition/international.htm). Within one month, over 220,000 signatures for Erkel were collected. To celebrate Erkel’s 33rd birthday, MSF volunteers all over the world organized events for 9 March 2003, including birthday cakes and petition drives.

Erkel is the only foreign humanitarian worker who remains in captivity in the Caucasus region, an area that has been in conflict for over ten years. The conflict continues to prevent independent humanitarian organizations from delivering effective assistance to the thousands who are in need because of the wide-scale lack of security and stability in the region.

(Sources of information for this case include: Médecins Sans Frontières and the Associated Press.)

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, Relating to the Protection of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II)

• Article 11: Protection of medical units and transports (1) Medical units and transports shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attack. (2) The protection to which medical units and transports are entitled shall not cease unless they are used to commit hostile acts, outside their humanitarian function. Protection may, however, cease only after a warning has been given setting, whenever appropriate, a reasonable time-limit, and after such warning has remained unheeded.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please sign the MSF petition online at: http://www.msf.org/arjan/petition/international.htm

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Expressing your concern about the safety of Arjan Erkel;
• Requesting that the Russian authorities make every effort to fully investigate the abduction of Arjan Erkel; and
• Requesting that the investigating authorities provide the information they have about the case to officials at Medecins Sans Frontieres.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
President of Russia
The Kremlin
Moscow
Russia
Fax: (011) 7 095 206 5173 or 7 095 206 6277
president@gov.ru
Salutation: Your Excellency:

COPIES SENT TO:

Ambassador Yuri V. Ushakov
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States
Embassy of the Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Fax: (202) 298-5735
Salutation: Dear Mr. Ambassador

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Victoria Baxter, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email vbaxter@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

To verify the contents of this alert and/or the electronic signature, please download the signed file for this alert along with the Program's PGP Public Key.

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