In Kabardino-Balkaria, Rustam Guchapshev claims shadowing and fear of kidnapping

In Kabardino-Balkaria, Rustam Guchapshev, a resident of the village of Dugulubgei of the Baksan District, claims that today he was followed, and therefore, he has appealed to law enforcement agencies and human rights defenders, since he fears of kidnapping.

According to the written complaint of Rustam Guchapshev, today, at about 11:20 a.m., he left his work place in Baksan and went home for lunch. He entered a fixed-route taxi and noticed a Lada Priora car of silver colour with tinted windows, which followed him. When he had arrived to his station, the man noticed that the Lada Priora car also stopped and that persons in the car filmed a video. At home, he told his family members about what had happened and went back to his work. "When I entered a fixed-route taxi, my father called me and said that car turned around and followed the fixed-route taxi; besides, my father told me that my brother had followed me on his car," Rustam Guchapshev stated.

Rustam met his brother in Baksan. By that time, the Lada Priora car drove off, and it left a passenger, who continued surveillance. "When we stood together with my brother, the man was several meters from us. We had heard that the man said on a mobile phone: 'He is not alone,' and then, he immediately left," Rustam Guchapshev says. He and his brother called their parents, who came and took them home.

Rustam Guchapshev fears for his life and does not rule out that he can be kidnapped or killed as a suspected militant or a criminal case can be fabricated against him, they can plant prohibited items and force any of his friends to slander him in the committing of crimes that he did not commit.

Rustam Guchapshev believes that he is being followed by power agents, since he observes the rules of Islam. Besides, he has reported that he provides legal advisory assistance to people, who face unlawful detentions and kidnappings, torture and violations of other human rights.