Aigunov: hunger strike in the investigative isolation ward of Makhachkala is over

Gasan Aigunov, Chairman of Public monitoring commission (PMC) in Dagestan, visited investigative isolation ward (IIW) No 1 of Makhachkala where the convicts had been on a hunger strike. According to Aigunov, the hunger strike had been stopped by the moment but all the facts reported by the convicts would be thoroughly verified.

“The convicts have stopped the hunger strike, Aigunov said. – The situation there was like this. The hunger strike was started by inmates of special blocks who are under video surveillance. The convicts were afraid that the cameras covered the toilets and shower rooms and they thought that the video records were viewed by women. I personally examined the coverage of the video cameras and according to my data, only the cells could be seen. As for the toilet, when a person is inside the camera shows only the convict’s head”.

According to Aigunov, many inmates of the special blocks were placed in other cameras. The premises of IIW No 1 are currently under recondition, therefore the convicts can be moved from one place to another.

An employee of the IIW who preferred to remain anonymous assured Aigunov that there could be no problems with the convicts’ health in connection with the jammers of mobile communications. “The only thing that angers them is that they are not allowed to use mobiles which their relatives try to pass to them by any means”, the representative of PMC quotes the official.  
 
Aigunov said he was concerned about convict Yusup Gasanov “whose state is really bad”. “He needs special treatment which cannot be provided by the administration of the IIW. The matter is that the burn of Yusup’s body makes 45-50 per cent. He needs an operation”, he explained.

However, according to Gasanov’s relatives, he is still on a hunger strike and “demands to release him for treatment because the major portion of his body is burned and he needs an urgent operation”.