A work group for the Caucasus of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation is concerned about mass detentions of believers in Karachay-Cherkessia

A work group of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation for development of a public dialogue and institutions of civil society in the Caucasus expresses its deep concern about mass detentions of residents of Karachay-Cherkessia after an assault at a Road Patrol Service team in Stavropol region. According to the residents of the republic who appealed to the work group, they were delivered to local police departments where they were forced to shave off their beards and those who disobeyed were tortured.

A statement of the work group of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation for development of a public dialogue and institutions of civil society in the Caucasus runs that in the beginning of September mass detentions of residents in Malokarachaevsky and several days later in Khabezsky district of Karachay-Cherkessia by members of power ministries took place.

“The reason for detention of over 80 people was presented to the public as an emergency. On September, 1, this year, the day before the detentions, unidentified people committed an assault at a Road Patrol Service team in the settlement of Mirny, Stavropol region. A policeman was killed as a result of the assault. This crime which demands a thorough investigation is certainly a tragedy however the events that followed it are also tragic and inexcusable”, the documents runs.

The detained people were taken to local department of interior affairs and told to shave off their beards under a threat of arrest and violence.

Members of the work group pointed out incredibility of 80 residents being involved in one policeman’s murder. They also considered a beard a strange criterion for detention of people by the police. According to the residents of Karachay-Cherkessia who appealed to the work group of the Public Chamber, the detainees were delivered to local police departments where they were forced to shave off their beards under a threat of arrest and violence.

During several past years the authorities of KCR have positioned their republic as a region where prosecution of residents on religious grounds typical of a number of republics of North-Caucasian Federal Okrug was not practiced.

The work group appeals to all federal, regional and republican branches of authority to disallow further violations of human rights of the residents of the republic and secure their rights and freedoms.

According to Fatima Kardanova, Head of Press service of the Ministry of Interior Affairs of KCR, who commented on the statement of the residents of the republic, the reason for inspections was the assault at policemen in Stavropol region.