Relatives of Shakov and Beshkurov, detained in Kabardino-Balkaria, are sure of their innocence

Relatives of Mohammed Shakov and Islam Beshkurov, detained in Kabardino-Balkaria and suspected of illegal possession of ammunition, declare innocence of these guys and demand investigation into their beatings. Their advocate asserts that after arrival of the petition about illegal methods of investigation to the prosecutor's office, filed on November 19, his clients have not yet been interrogated.

At the moment of Mohammed Shakov's detention, his sister Mariana was standing nearby and saw everything with her own eyes. "They knocked him down on the floor, put a black bag over his head, handcuffed him and planted something into his pocket. He lay on the floor for more than an hour," Mariana Shakova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She claims that her brother was arrested not by Baksan law enforcers: "Baksan inspectors and our district militiaman just stood aside; they were just not let into the store at the moment of detention."

"My brother did nothing wrong," said Mariana. "He wasn't even registered by the militia. When the head of the administration of the Baksan District gave him a testimonial, he was shocked by the fact that Mohammed was detained. If I had noticed him involved in anything, I should have been the first to say - let he be lawfully punished."

Mohammed is the only breadwinner in the Shakov family; he has a dependent wife and a half-year-old child, and also his disabled father.

Magomed Abubakarov, the detainees' advocate, tells that the first application was filed to the ICPO for Kabardino-Balkaria on November 18. "The second application was filed on the following day by mail, when we managed to communicate with the guys and learned that they were tortured; the third application was sent to human rights organizations. Since the ICPO refused to register the application and specify the date and time of receipt, its copy was sent by mail," Mr Abubakarov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He asserts that after the arrival of the application to the prosecutor's office his clients have not been questioned yet. "They were supposed to be interviewed on the fact of application of violence; however, it hasn't been done yet," said the source.

The second detainee, according to his cousin Khamidbi, at the moment of arrest was thrown out of his car by agents in masks. "This can be confirmed by dozens of people, who were unwilling eyewitnesses of the event. He was kept prone on cold asphalt handcuffed and with a bag over his head for more than two hours. When someone wanted to approach, those masked men threatened to use their firearms. When Zaur Khezhev, head of the Dugulubgey village administration tried to interfere, they insulted him; they were about to start a fight," Khamidbi told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Islam Beshkurov is 27; he has a family with two small children. According to Khamidbi, he could attract law enforcers' interest only by his commitment to Islam. "Yes, my brother routinely makes namaz, but he doesn't visit the mosque. I've heard that for this very reason he was put on some prophylactic list at the militia," said Khamidbi.

He asserts that he saw Islam after his detention and tried to ask him about the cause of numerous grazes, bruises and hurts seen on his body. "He did not complain, saying only that it happened at the moment of his detention," Khamidbi has added.

The centre for combating extremism did not confirm the assertion of advocate Abubakarov that on November 18, 2010, Islam Beshkurov and Mohammed Shakov were brought to them. "The people in question were not delivered to us," Militia Lieutenant Colonel Khasan Bogatyryov, Deputy Head of Centre "E" for Kabardino-Balkaria, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "We are already accustomed to be blamed for all illegal detentions. Torturing our detainees with electric current is one of these provocations. We don't use such methods."