In Dagestan, relatives are unaware of detainee's whereabouts

Moussa Nasukhov, a resident of Tyube village, Kumtorkal District of Dagestan, has reported that he cannot find the whereabouts of his brother Ibrahim Nasukhov, a resident of Vitsiyatli village, Tsuntin District, who was taken away on September 28 from his home by local militiamen and unidentified persons in camouflage.

"Those people came to my brother's house at the lunchtime; they didn't present themselves, and, showing no documents, began searching over Ibrahim's house. Nothing was found; but without any further explanations they took my brother to some unknown place. Initially he was kept at the local ROVD (District Interior Division); now, militiamen say that they know nothing about Ibrahim's whereabouts. My sister's husband - Magomed Bagaev - was taken away together with my brother. He was released at night; but when he said that he would wait for Ibrahim, they told him that the latter had already been sent to Makhachkala. We are using our own channels to find him, but so far - in vain," Moussa Nasukhov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He has added that it was not for the first time that his brother was detained. "He was registered as a Wahhabite. Militiamen don't like Ibrahim's long beard and shortened moustache; that he strenuously prays and doesn't smoke or drink. According to their version, this is the Wahhabite's typical behaviour. Over the last few months, Ibrahim was taken to the police three times without explanations; there he was exposed to psychological and physical pressure," said Moussa.

He said that he had addressed for help to Svetlana Isaeva, chair of the non-governmental organization (NGO) "Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights", who wrote letters to Lev Ponamaryov, Executive Director of the Movement "For Human Rights", Svetlana Gannushkina, chair of the Committee "Civic Assistance", and Vladimir Lukin and Ummupazil Omarova, Human Rights Ombudspersons of Russia and Dagestan, respectively.

The press service of the Dagestan Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the on duty unit of the Tsuntin ROVD told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that they have no information about the above incident.