Dagestani Gimry village hosts rally demanding cancellation of CTO regime

About a thousand residents of the village of Gimry, Untsukul District of Dagestan, gathered today to a rally demanding to cancel the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime.

The protest action was opened by Aliaskhab Magomedov, the head of the village administration. "We are under a counterterrorist operation. The previous ones caused great damage to villagers: fruit trees were cut down; fields were trampled on; various conflicts took place; and searches were accompanied by gross violations of the law. Nobody had helped us then; the authorities paid no attention to our demands. In order not to have the same today, we demand to stop the CTO; if it's impossible, let them explain us what's going on," said Magomedov.

Patimat Makhulaeva, a resident of Gimry, said that the CTO goes on with violations of the law. "Power agents are finding fault with villagers' beards: where in the law is it said that men should go shaved and look like women? There is no such law! Our men are simply provoked to conflicts; we must not succumb to them and defend our interests within the bounds of the law," said the woman.

Aliaskhab Magomedov had invited journalists to the rally; and they came, but law enforcers agreed to admit only the reporter of the state-run newspaper in the Avar language named "The Truth".

The "Caucasian Knot" was told by the head of the village administration that "the consent to meet us is a good sign." "Until now, nobody would even talk to us; now, everyone will express his pains at the negotiation table. Let's hope that we'll find common ground," said Magomedov.