In Dagestan, investigation into lawyer Magomedova's beating case extended

The term of preliminary investigation into the case initiated in relation to lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova, who was beaten in June by employees of the Khasavyurt militia department. At the same time, Ms Magomedova asserts that the criminal case opened against the militiamen who had beaten her, is not investigated.

The term of the preliminary investigation of the case, initiated against Magomedova, was extended by one month - till January 2, 2011. She learnt about it from the notification received in early December. This was stated in the release of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", received by the office of the "Caucasian Knot".

On November 29, Sapiyat Magomedova appealed against the passiveness of investigatory bodies in accordance with Article 125 (judicial order of considering complaints) of the Russian Code of Criminal Procedure. In her complaint Magomedova gives several arguments about low efficiency of the investigation, including the delay in the criminal case, rejection by the investigator of the petitions to hold an additional examination of the scene of the crime and acquaintance with the records of the video surveillance cameras installed in the Khasavyurt ROVD.

According to Sapiyat Magomedova and her advocates, investigator Arslangeraev, who is running her case, is deliberately protracting with the investigation of the criminal case against militiamen, in order to have another criminal case - initiated against Magomedova herself - completed before and sent to the court.

The victim and her lawyers also claim that the division of one criminal event into two criminal cases was done artificially.

The consideration of Sapiyat Magomedova's complaint against inaction of the investigatory bodies is scheduled on December 20, 2010. K. A. Abdulgapurov, Judge of the Sovietskiy District Court of Makhachkala, who had run the case, has withdrawn himself; thus, another judge will be appointed.