Dagestan's Prosecutor's Office denies involvement of power agents in kidnappings

After checking publications in the media, the Prosecutor's Office of Dagestan has not found evidence of involvement of law enforcement agents of the republic in kidnapping.

"During pre-investigation inspections and investigations into criminal cases of kidnappings, no objective evidence of the involvement of law enforcement officers in commitment of those crimes was revealed," stated a press officer of the Prosecutor's Office.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, "the information about the involvement of law enforcement officers in kidnappings is only presumptive, and it is based on the fact that kidnappers were armed with fire arms, dressed in camouflage and masks."

The Prosecutor's Office states that those citizens, who were voluntarily returned by kidnappers, and those, who manage to escape from captivity, do not give testimony to investigators, since they fear re-kidnappings, the official website of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Dagestan.

In 2011, the law enforcement agencies of the republic examined 31 reports on kidnappings of 32 persons, which indicated involvement of people, dressed in camouflage, in those crimes. During the inspection, power agents revealed 18 kidnapped persons. Besides, another 13 kidnapped persons returned home by themselves.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, it examines each publication in the media, which refers to arbitrariness of law enforcement officers, and take measures. In 2011, officers from the inherent security of the Ministry of Internal Affair (MIA) for Dagestan conducted 469 official inspections, which resulted in disciplinary actions applied to 19 employees of the OVD (Interior Division). 6 criminal cases were instituted against power agents, who unlawfully used violence, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

During 2010-2011, the Republic's Prosecutor's Office responded to 1458 complaints against actions of investigators, heads of investigatory bodies, republic's agencies of the inquiry, and granted 238 of them, i.e. 16.3 percent.

"Typical violations include failure to solve crimes, unfounded detention, unjustified criminal prosecution, unlawful termination of criminal proceedings and suspension of investigation," stated the press officer of the Prosecutor's Office.