MOSCOW, September 20 (RAPSI) – The High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova has stated that Russian authorities launched 18 criminal cases over disappearances in the Chechen Republic, according to the ombudsman’s press-service.

The ombudsman noted that investigations by 18 of 31 disappearance claims are currently on-going. There is information on natural deaths of two disappeared persons, she added.

Also, one of employees of the ombudsman’s office will stay in the region to analyze documentation and to find out what happened to each of the disappeared persons, Moskalkova said.