NAZRAN, Russia -- Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the president of the Russian republic of Ingushetia, has called on families involved in blood feuds to let the justice system punish the perpetrators of crimes, and not to take justice into their own hands.
There are at least 180 Ingush families that are entangled in various vendettas, or blood feuds, that often go back decades.
Blood feuds were officially banned during the 70 years of Communist rule in the Soviet Union, but the practice never died out completely.
Musa Pliyev, a lawyer and adviser to Yevkurov, told RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service that "the president faces an uphill battle, because of a weakening of public trust in the government."
There are at least 180 Ingush families that are entangled in various vendettas, or blood feuds, that often go back decades.
Blood feuds were officially banned during the 70 years of Communist rule in the Soviet Union, but the practice never died out completely.
Musa Pliyev, a lawyer and adviser to Yevkurov, told RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service that "the president faces an uphill battle, because of a weakening of public trust in the government."
