Alaudin Almurziev, a native of Ingushetia, goes on hunger strike in jail

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has learnt about the 17-day-long hunger strike of Alaudin Almurziev, a native of Ingushetia, who is serving his term in the Kamchatka Territory, from his grandmother Minovsi Almurzieva. According to her story, Alaudin Almurziev is hunger-striking against violation of his rights in the colony.

Alaudin Almurziev was sentenced by the Supreme Court of North Ossetia to 23 years in prison on charges of an armed attack on a convoy of law enforcers' armoured vehicles. The Russia's Supreme Court reduced the sentence by a year. Almurziev and his relatives believe that the case was fabricated. He has served six years of his sentence; more than three years of the term – in Penal Colony No. 6 in the Kamchatka Territory.

According to his grandmother Minovsi Almurzieva, Alaudin is kept in the dungeon for the fourth consecutive month, which is a flagrant violation of the regulatory and procedural rules.

"Since January 12, my grandson is holding a full hunger strike; he is not even drinking water. The prison administration is physically and mentally oppressing the prisoners. Meals there are not much different from his current hunger strike. Daily, the inmates of Colony No. 6 receive a piece of bread and plain boiled water, even without tea. Isn't it natural that he demands to stop it?" asked Almurzieva.

She also asserts that colony employees are regularly beating the inmates, take away their personal belongings, and leave them without mattresses, pillows and blankets.

According to her story, prisoners are left without medical care. "My grandson has gastric ulcer, impaired vision and lowered kidneys as a result of beatings and torture. The prison doctor is absent all the time; the prisoners don't get drugs, even ordinary analgesics," she said.

So far, the "Caucasian Knot" has no comments of Colony Mo. 6 administration or its official representatives concerning the statements of Almurziev's relatives.