Gandaloev detained in Ingushetia tells about torture during arrest

The relatives of Aslan and Mukhtar Gandaloevs detained on June 21 in the village of Sagopshi, Ingushetia, and suspected of exploding a shop in the same village have reported about an illegal search in their house. Witnesses claim that violence was applied during the arrest.

The office of Ingushetia ombudsman has received a complaint from Bers Gandaloev, resident of the village of Sagopshi, to the effect that on June 21, early in the morning, officers of Malgobek district department of internal affairs forced into his house at 50, Gardanova Street, conducted a search and detained his relatives Mukhtar and Aslan Gandaloevs. The applicant claims that the detainees are possibly tortured by militiamen.

On June 23, the office of the ombudsman conducted a field examination of the complaint. An employee of the office visited the Malgobek district militia pre-trial facility and interviewed each of the Gandaloev brothers. According to them, no illegal methods of investigation have been applied with regard to them. No traces of torture or beating have been found during a visual inspection (faces, necks and arms).

On the same day, Mukhtar Gandaloev was released from custody, while Aslan Gandaloev was charged under articles 222 and 223 of RF CC (storage and illegal manufacture of arms and explosives).

"They dragged me out of the bed, brought me into the yard, twisted my hands, put me against the wall, put a plastic bag over my head and stuck it with scotch tape. I could hardly hear anything then. We were taken to militia. They started interrogating me, mentioned some names, asked me where I had been during the explosion", says Mukhtar.

Gandaloev claims that those who were detaining him spoke Russian without an accent, while those who were interrogating him in militia talked Ingush.