On October 13, the “Peace Walking” arrived to Brussels where Akhmed Zakayev, Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria joined to the group, and then a press conference was held in the European Parliament building with co-operation of the Polish deputies Mr Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski and Mr Marek Jurek.

In the press conference, Mr Zakayev addressed to the Parliamentarians, indicated about 20th anniversary of ongoing Russian occupation in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and appealed for the establishment of an international commission to investigate the crimes committed against the Chechen people by the Russian troops.

“Today some may think that the Chechnya topic is no longer valid in the lights of recent developments in Ukraine which directly affects the geopolitical interests of the European countries. However, I am convinced that the occupation of a part of the Georgian territory in 2008, and the conflict in Ukraine cannot be seen in isolation from the context of what is happening in Chechnya for 20 years,” said Mr Prime Minister.

In his speech, Mr Zakayev pointed out that the lack of exposing of such crimes only encourages further violations of human rights and humanitarian law; and Russian occupation in Chechnya encouraged Vladimir Putin’s regime to continue its invasion in Georgia and Ukraine which is a threat to the entire international community.

Recall that the action under the slogan “Peace Walking” which aims for a fair international investigation on the Russian crimes in Chechnya, has started from Warsaw, Poland on September 29, and ended in Brussels, Belgium on October 12, after visiting 14 European capitals.