Arjan Erkel (born March 9, 1970) is a Dutch medical aid worker and was head of the relief mission for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Dagestan, a constituent republic of the Russian Federation. March 9 is the 68th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (69th in Leap years). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Médecins Sans Frontières ( (help· info)) is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organisation best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic disease. ... The Republic of Dagestan (Russian: ), older spelling Daghestan, is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a republic). ...

His main task was caring for refugees fleeing from fighting in neighbouring Chechnya. Capital Grozny Area - total - % water Ranked 80th - 15,300 km² - negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 49th - est. ...

He was abducted by gunmen in Makhachkala on August 12th, 2002. To this day, the humanitarian group is not sure who abducted Mr. Erkel or why, but it does know that he was being shadowed by Russian security forces in the days before his disappearance. In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away of a person against the persons will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment (confinement without legal authority) for ransom or in furtherance of another crime. ... Makhachkala (Russian: ) is a city in Russia, the capital of the Republic of Dagestan. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

On April 11, 2004, Erkel was free again and appeared to be in reasonably good health. The Dutch government paid a 1 million Euro ransom, but claims that it didn't pay the ransom itself but on behalf of the organisation, claiming it was a loan that MSF had orally promised to pay back. MSF refutes this and in June 2004 the Dutch government announced a lawsuit. April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner to extort money or property extorted to secure their release, or to the sum of money involved. ... It has been suggested that Lenders be merged into this article or section. ... A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy. ...

MSF has suspended its operations in Chechnya several times over kidnappings of its personnel. Capital Grozny Area - total - % water Ranked 80th - 15,300 km² - negligible Population - Total - Density Ranked 49th - est. ...

References

External Links

Jamestown MSF and Dutch government trade accusations over Erkel

MSF Arjan Erkel kidnapping: How the puzzle was solved