E/CN.4/1996/35/Add.1 page 107 many detainees held in prison camps were beaten systematically in order to extract from them confessions admitting support of or loyalty to Chechen leader Dzhokhar Dudayev. Many such incidents occurred in January and February 1995 at "filtration points" in Grozny and Mozdok, as well as in investigation-isolation prisons established in Pyatigorsk and Stavropol. It was reported that persons detained at filtration points were not necessarily those involved in the armed conflict, but rather anyone who might be used in exchange for captured Russian soldiers. 569. The Special Rapporteur also transmitted the cases described in the following paragraphs. 570. Chingizkhan Uveysovich Amirkhanov, an Ingush living in Grozny, was reportedly approached on 9 January 1995 by members of the special police units of the Interior Ministry (OMON), and asked if he had any weapons. After he had surrendered a pistol, the officials took a watch and a ring from him. When he protested, they handcuffed him to a tree and prepared their automatic weapons, whereupon officers approaching in an armoured vehicle got out and allegedly beat him. He and other prisoners were loaded onto a truck and ordered to lie on their sides while an officer sat on each of them. They were later transported in railway carriages to the Mozdok region, where they were stripped naked and threatened with execution. Chingizkhan Amirkhanov was allegedly beaten continuously with truncheons during interrogation, as a result of which he lost consciousness. He was released on 16 January, reportedly after being forced to sign a document affirming that he had no complaints against the officials. He had suffered several fractured ribs, a broken nose and severe bruising. 571. Azamat Paragulgov, an Ingush living in Grozny, was reportedly detained on 1 January 1995 and accused of assisting the opposition forces. He was allegedly beaten and taken to a cellar, whereupon bullets were fired around him. He was then dragged out and beaten with automatic weapons while a rag was stuffed into his mouth. He was subsequently taken to a cannery and allegedly kicked and beaten with rifle butts. 572. Magomed Maksharipovich Meyriyev was taken from a bomb shelter with six other men on 3 January 1994 by Russian soldiers in Grozny to a cannery, where he was allegedly punched, kicked and beaten with rifle butts on his head and torso. While being transported to Mozdok for interrogation on 14 January, he was again beaten, including with truncheons. On 16 January the prisoners were moved to Pyatigorsk and Magomed Meyriyev was subjected to further beatings and a dog that had been set on him bit him in the leg and buttock. On 19 January the prisoners were moved to Stavropol and allegedly subjected to continued ill-treatment. Magomed Meyriyev was released in Mozdok on 15 February, having sustained around a dozen scars on his cheek from beatings with a rifle butt and scars on his leg caused by the bites. A doctor confirmed that the injuries were consistent with the ill-treatment alleged. 573. The Special Rapporteur also transmitted the case of Altuchov Andrey, from Oryol, who was reportedly arrested on 2 September 1993 by police on suspicion of robbery. He was allegedly beaten nearly to death and consequently sustained damage to his liver and kidney. An investigation conducted pursuant to a complaint filed with the public prosecutor and the Orlovsky regional