Rally against kidnappings and power structures' arbitrariness held in Dagestan

Today in Makhachkala, in front of the Avar Theatre, a protest rally against kidnappings and arbitrariness of power agencies was organized by human rights activists, lawyers and journalists of Dagestan.

About one hundred persons gathered there to speak out; tenants of the family hostel from Kaspiisk came with posters - the hostel perished in fire on July 22. The local authorities were presented by Zubairu Zubairaev, deputy head of information policy and press service of President of Dagestan.

In the beginning, the floor was given to fire victims. They complained that nobody had rendered any help to them - they still live in tents and know nothing about their tomorrow.

Further speakers stressed continued facts of lawlessness, power agents' arbitrariness, kidnappings and murders.

The rally ended with adoption of the final resolution, which states the claims put forward to the authorities. The protesters want that President of Dagestan stops breaking human rights; that the republic's prosecutor's office applies due control and supervision over actions of power agents and authorities; and that the investigatory committee objectively and timely investigates criminal cases.

Zubairu Zubairaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that such actions cause certain influence on the authorities.

"In my opinion, the authorities trace the situation and consider the protest potential of the society. If protesters want overnight changes, they won't happen for clear reasons. The main point here is that both the authorities and the society feel the need to reform law enforcement bodies," he said.

Isalmagomed Nabiev, chairman of the independent trade union of drivers and businessmen of Dagestan, would not agree: "The authority gave no reaction to power agents' arbitrariness. We can recollect dozens of cases when militiamen opened fire on peaceful citizens; then, numerous protest actions followed, applications were submitted to all instances, but nobody was ever duly punished."

Zarema Gasanova, a journalist of the GTRK (State TV and Radio Company) "Dagestan", believes that Dagestanians are rather active in defending their rights. "I think that a hundred participants of the rally is a lot. And it's only the beginning, the continuation will follow. People today are scared, but tomorrow the fear will vanish," she said.