Resident of Kabardino-Balkaria accuses power agents of torturing him to confess of possessing grenade

Malik Appaev, a resident of the town of Tyrnyauz of Elbrus District of Kabardino-Balkaria, claims illegal detention and torture by power agents, who demanded that he pleaded guilty to illegal possession of military grenade.

According to Malik Appaev, who appealed to human rights activists, the incident took place on September 22. On that day, at around 1:40 p.m., he went for lunch to his wife's parents living in Eneev Street in the town of Tyrnyauz. After lunch, Malik with his wife and her mother went to the balcony, from there they saw people in masks and camouflage standing next to the house. One of them shouted that Malik and women should leave the apartment and take no risk to their lives, since a special operation was planned. When the family was leaving the apartment, at the entrance a power agent in blue camouflage asked Malik's name and surname. After receiving an answer, he ordered: "That's all, take him!"

According to Malik's story, he was knocked to the ground, tied his hands with scotch tape behind his back and put a plastic bag over his head. The man said that at the same time he had been constantly beaten, stepped down to his head and neck. He stayed on the ground with plastic bag on his head for more than an hour, and then he felt that a round metal object was put in his hand behind his back, then something solid was put in his right trouser pocket, as it turned out later, it was a grenade. Malik began to scream, trying to draw the attention of people passing by that some banned items were being planted on him.

While he was lying on the ground, he was demanded to plead guilty to illegal possession of military grenade. Later, Malik was lifted to his feet, a plastic bag was removed from his head; however, his hands were left tied. At that moment, witnesses and policemen arrived, and in their presence, the grenade was taken out from Malik Appaev's pocket.

At first, he refused to sign the protocol; however, a police officer assured him that Malik should sign only the fact of that the grenade was taken out, and it turned out later that Malik Appaev also signed the fact that the grenade belonged to him.

After signing the protocol, Malik Appaev was handcuffed and forced into a VAZ-2114 car without license number plates, in the car they again pulled a plastic bag over his head, and, while the car was in motion, one of the power agents took Malik's hands and tried to leave Malik's fingerprint on some smooth object, the man stated.

They spent about 1.5 hours on the way, and all the time law enforcers spoke about how they do not like the city of Pyatigorsk. When the car stopped, the power agents forced Malik out, took him into a room and put him against a wall, where everyone, who passed by, beat him. Then they lay Malik on the floor with his hands and feet tied and began asking him if he knew people involved in illegal armed formations, persons hiding from law enforcement bodies, whether he himself helped them.

Malik replied in the negative, then, according to his story, the power agents connected bare wires to his body and began to let electric current through them, periodically asking the questions. Unable to withstand the torture, he agreed to cooperate.

After that, Appaev was brought to the Elbrus ROVD (District Interior Division), where he was advised to plead guilty and say that he found the grenade, otherwise he would be returned back and be tortured again. In the investigator's office, where several policemen were already present, Malik said that he found the grenade in a canal near the Baksan River in the town of Tyrnyauz and signed explanation written by the power agents. After that, he was released.

The "Caucasin Knot" editorial board received a message from the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", where Malik Appaev had appealed, stating that on September 26, at the Appaev's request, a forensic examination was carried out, which recorded injuries on his body: a burn wound of left buttocks, abrasion of his left little finger and right leg, abrasion of nasal arch and right leg, and a bruise on his left shoulder.

In his appeal addressed to rights defenders Appaev wrote that he fears for his life, health, and safety of his family. According to his advocate, no indictment has been presented to him yet, he is under recognizance not to leave.

Representatives of law enforcement bodies of Kabardino-Balkaria made no comments on the incident yet.