KBR: local resident blames power agents for illegal detention and torture

Anzor Utov, 21, a resident of the village of Kishpek, Baksan District, has stated his illegal detention, beating and use of torture against him by law enforcers. He asserts that policemen had planted pistol cartridges into his pocket and forced him to declare that he tried to shoot at them from the pistol he had allegedly received from an earlier killed member of the armed underground.

Anzor Utov has addressed his applications about the illegal detention, beating and torture to the head of the Investigatory Department for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) of the Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), the General Public Prosecutor of the KBR, the Russian Prosecutor General, the Ombudsman in the Russian Federation and the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

According to Mr Utov, he was detained on July 15 on his way in a taxi from Kishpek to Chegem, where he intended to make a video of a wedding party.

"At the exit from the city of Baksan, near the bridge, our car was cut in by a UAZ van, which abruptly slowed down in front of us, forcing us to stop. From behind our car was blocked by a light-green VAZ-2114. Armed men in masks, some of them in military uniform, jumped out of these vehicles, pulled me and the taxi driver out and threw into their car. They put a black bag over my head and took me away to some unknown place," says the application received by the "Caucasian Knot".

According to Anzor Utov, they drove him for about 15-20 minutes; then, the car stopped. "I was brought into a room, where they threw me on the floor, tied hands and feet with tape and began beating," he wrote in his statement.

After that, the detainee, as he writes in his statement, "was tortured with electric current. All this went on for 3-4 hours."

In the process, according to Utov, he was asked questions, the answers to which he did not know. "Then, they lifted me up, put a few cartridges into my right hand and told me to put them into my pocket. Then, they pressed a pistol to my right palm, apparently, to have my fingerprints on it. I was forced to agree to self-incrimination," says the statement.

According to Utov, he "was ordered to say that the pistol was given to him by Zagashtokov" (killed on March 29 while rendering resistance to police in Nalchik, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"). Utov indicates in his statement that the name of Zagashtokov was pronounced by law enforcers themselves. "At that moment I feared for my life and health and agreed to say that I had received the pistol from Zagashtokov, and that I had hid it in the field. In fact, I didn't know that man," Utov has noted.

After that, as Anzor Utov writes, power agents took him away out of town, where "they staged his detention." "They told me that I allegedly had tried to shoot, but there was a misfire. I said all that I was told to and signed papers with my testimony," says Utov's statement.

"On July 16, I confirmed this testimony during questioning in the presence of an advocate. I decided not to tell the truth, because I was afraid of the people who had tortured me. I also learned that they had planted a grenade into the room of my parents. I declare responsibly that I had never had any weapons either at home or on me," says the statement.

Mr Utov also stated that he refused from all his previously given evidence.

MIA: in the forest belt near the village of Chegem-2 policemen disarmed a man trying to shoot at them from a pistol

So far, the "Caucasian Knot" has no comments of law enforcement bodies on Anzor Utov's application. However, the information about his detention can be found on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Russia for Kabardino-Balkaria.

"At night on July 16, in the 5th kilometre of the road Chegem-2-Lechinkai, law enforcers of the KBR stopped a man, who went out of the forest and in response to the request to show documents tried to shoot at the policemen. By professional actions of special agents the criminal was disarmed. During a personal search in the presence of witnesses the following was found on him: a pistol labelled NR-654 calibre 4.5 mm, presumably modified for a combat one; a loaded magazine to a PM (Makarov Pistol) with seven 9 mm rounds; and two cell phones. With regard to the detainee, an investigation is underway; and his relationships with members of illegal armed formations (IAFs) are studied," says the statement of the press service of the MIA for the KBR.

Abubakarov: Utov has nothing to do with IAFs

As reported by the lawyer Magomed Abubakarov, who is defending Anzor Utov's interests, his client's complaint was sent to the head of the Investigatory Department for the KBR of the ICRF, Prosecutor of the KBR, Russian Prosecutor General, Russian Ombudsman - by registered letters to all of them; however, no answer yet.

"We've also moved a petition on a forensic medical examination. We already have an examination certificate at the IVS (temporary detention facility), which confirms the presence of bodily injuries on Utov," said the lawyer.

Mr Abubakarov argues that Utov never had and has no relation to any IAFs.