A missing resident of Makhachkala Zurab Batyrbekov found in an investigative isolation ward

A twenty-four-years old resident of Makhachkala Zurab Batyrbekov who had been considered missing was found in one of the investigative isolation wards of the town. The detainee's attorney reports that he is suspected of participation in paramilitary groups.

Batyrbekov disappeared in Makhachkala on January, 13. This was reported by representatives of "Memorial" human rights center and Dagestani regional non-governmental organization "Mothers of Dagestan for Human Rights" where Zaida Kambutaeva, mother of the missing young man, appealed for help is search of her son.

Batyrbekov's mother said that immediately after her son disappeared his relatives started active search and submitted statements to all the instances.

Elena Denisenko, human rights activist of HRC "Memorial" working in Dagestan told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Batyrbekov's relatives spent the whole day of January, 14, near the building of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public prosecutor's office and in the evening the news appeared that the young man was being kept in the Department of struggle against extremism.

"His relatives went there and at about 21:00 a police officer came out to them and confirmed the fact of Batyrbekov's being kept in the Department. He advised the relatives to call a lawyer. He said that the young man would be interrogated as a witness and released. His parents called the attorney but he was not let into the Department. The relatives waited near the office till 2 o'clock at night but found out nothing", Denisenko said.

Later the human rights activist added that the news came on January, 15, that Zurab Batyrbekov was moved to temporary isolation ward (TIW) in the town of Kaspiysk, however the attorney was not allowed to meet with him.

On the same day Zurab's relatives held a spontaneous meeting near the building of TIW of Kaspiysk.

The detainee's mother told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that at the meeting an official of TIW came out to them and advised to search for Batyrbekov in the Department of struggle against extremism of Makhachkala assuring that he was not in Kaspiysk.

"At about 16:30, January, 15, under a strong pressure of the relatives and human rights activists they were told where Batyrbekov was and let the attorney see him. He was still found in TIW of Kaspiysk. The attorney found out that he was interrogated as witness though it was incomprehensible of which event", Zaida Kambutaeva said.

According to Kambutaeva, her son signed the evidence offered by the policemen under pressure and threats.

Shamil Isaev, the detainee's attorney, said that as of January, 16, a charge according to clause 208 of the Criminal code of the Russian Federation (participation in paramilitary groups) was brought against Batyrbekov. A judge of Sovietsky district court prolonged his custody term by ten days.