In Dagestan, militiamen torture child forcing him to confess of theft, rights defenders say

At night on July 21, 2010, in the OVD (Interior Division) building of Khebda village, Shamil District of Dagestan, three militiamen were torturing and beating a boy of 14, forcing him to confess of a theft, human rights activists assert.

At about 5:00 p.m., two militiamen, including the district one Magomed Magomedov came to the house of the Ahmedov family in the mountain Khotoda village. At that moment Makhmud's mother was in Makhachkala and his father was at work in the village. Apart from the children, Kurban Guseinov, 85, heir grandfather, was at home. Without any explanations, the militiamen took the boy away with them.

They started beating Makhmud already in the militia car, demanding to confess that he had stolen an electric drill. According to the boy, the beating continued at the OVD located 25 kilometres off Khotoda. "The district militiaman first struck my breast with his truncheon and then three times on my head. One blow was on the ear; it was very painful; the ear burnt terribly… Now I can't hear with it," said Makhmud.

According to his story, he was beaten on his legs, arms, in the area of the heart; they tried to break his fingers. The beating was accompanied by threats, including a threat to rape him. "Then, they brought me to a room, where I saw two guys from our village. They are older than me; and they were also suspected of stealing those electric tools. I was forced to say in front of them that I was the thief. I said it, and they released them," said the boy and added that after his confession he was kept at the OVD without food and water.

In the morning parents of the child could get to the OVD. Having seen his beaten son, his father - Khiramagomed Ahmedov - addressed his cousin, head of the GIBDD (Russian name for the STSI - State Traffic Safety Inspectorate), whose study is in the same building. When he saw Makhmud, he asked his colleagues about what had happened. One of the militiamen who took part in the beating said that "he had given him a lot and will add more." When the GIBDD boss told him that it was his nephew, his colleague answered: "If I had known that he is your cousin's son, I would have not allowed beating him." Then the boy was let free. No search of the house was made, and no charges were presented.

From the OVD the parents of the child went to the district prosecutor's office. Public prosecutor Ramazan Omarov examined the boy and sent him to hospital. Then, he invited the militiamen, who beat Makhmud, and, in the presence of the boy's mother, asked them about the incident. The district militiaman started, in the presence of the public prosecutor, shouting at Aishat Guseinova: "I just wanted it! I wanted and beat him! Go and complain where you want!" The woman tried to say that she would stand for justice, and reach Moscow, but the militiaman, according to the mother, said: "I don't care a curse, complain where you want! They'll do nothing to me." After these words Aishat had epileptic attack; and she was taken away to hospital.

The medical certificate of July 21 runs that the child was complaining of headaches, pain in the left-hand thorax part, and in the left knee joint. Hair on his head is shaved in places; there are haematomas and hypostases on his head and grazes and bruise traces on his body.

No comments on the incident could be received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Dagestan.