Dagestan: relatives of kidnapped person ask rights defenders' protection from power agents

The sister of Magomed Gaziev, born in 1992, a resident of the village of Shamkhal-Station, Kirov District of Makhachkala, who was kidnapped on March 1 by unidentified persons, asks for help in searching her brother and to protect her family from harassment of law enforcers.

The "Caucasian Knot" wrote yesterday that at about 1:00 p.m. on March 1 unidentified persons forced Magomed Gaziev into a black car and took away to some unknown place.

Today, the information about the abduction was confirmed by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial". As stated in the HRC's message, after the incident Magomed's sister Zulfiya Magomedova had addressed human rights activists asking to help to find her brother and protect her family from law enforcers' harassment.

"My father worked at school for 40 years; currently, I also work at school; I've been teaching for 13 years. We are in no way connected with terrorists or extremists," wrote Zulfiya Magomedova in her statement, which is quoted by the HRC "Memorial". The Gaziev family professes the Salafi trend of Islam; therefore, in their assumptions, power structures show interest in them.

The press service of the Dagestani MIA had earlier told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that they knew nothing about the incident, while the township militia department said that Gazimagomed Gaziev had approached them, and necessary search actions were underway.