Court of Volgograd to consider cassation of convicted Chechen native

On May 12, the Volgograd Regional Court will have a cassation session on the case of Zubair Zubairaev, a convicted native of Chechnya, who is now serving his term in Colony LIU-15 (medical-corrective establishment) in Volgograd region.

Human rights activists assert that Zubair Zubairaev is violently beaten in the above Colony LIU-15 for a year already. His relatives, advocates and human rights activists have repeatedly informed the Ombudsman in Chechnya Nurdi Nukhazhiev that the life of this convict is in danger. According to his relatives, the employees of the colony had threatened Zubairaev that he would not leave alive from there. They tell that many current jailers earlier served in Chechnya and, to put it mildly, feel no sympathy to "persons of Chechen origin."

In their turn, the chiefs of the UFSIN (Department of Punishment Enforcement) answered that Zubairaev "was inclined to auto-aggression, simulated convulsions and wound self-infliction."

After Zubairaev had complained of beatings and torture, the colony administration petitioned to the court about his transfer to the prison regime. The court upheld the petition; however, Zubairaev appealed against the court decision, and on May 12 the cassation consideration of the case should be held by the Volgograd Regional Court.

We remind you that on August 13, 2007, Zubairaev was sentenced by the Supreme Court of the Chechen Republic to 5 years of imprisonment under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Encroachment on life of a law enforcer").