March 18, 2004, New York—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has learned that Ruslan Soltakhanov, a fixer and driver working for Atlanta-based Cox Newspapers, was released from captivity on March 12 after being abducted in February.

On February 13, several unidentified men abducted Soltakhanov from his home in Mozdok, just west of Chechnya in North Ossetia, after he had traveled to Chechnya with Cox Newspapers Moscow correspondent Rebecca Santana.

During his captivity, no one heard from Soltakhanov, and his family was not informed why or by whom he was abducted. Russian authorities also failed to respond to Cox Newspapers’ inquiries regarding Soltakanov’s whereabouts.

No other information about his abduction or the circumstances of his release is currently available.