Rights defenders: in Kalmykia prisoners from North Ossetia and Adygea cut their veins in protest

At night on November 2, a mass beating of inmates by the prison staff took place in the colony "Salyn IK-1", located in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. In protest, prisoners cut their veins; some of them tried to put themselves on fire, said Nina Efremova, an activist of the international public movement "Unity".

Messages about mass beatings at the Elista colony have arrived today at 10:08 and 10:19 a.m. to the SMS-service of the "Caucasian Knot". The author asserts that about 30 persons received traumas.

Ms Efremova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the beatings continued for several hours; now, the exact number of victims is being updated. "It all started on November 1 with the arrival to the colony of new inmates – 34 from Adygea and 32 from North Ossetia. The mass beatings began on the same day," she said.

According to her story, after the beatings, four inmates tried to self-ignite themselves; four others cut their throat veins, and seven – their wrist ones. "Apart from the convict Alan Djisoev, whose body was burnt by over 50 percent, nobody was hospitalized. All the newcomers are under the quarantine regime," said the human rights activist, adding that inmates' relatives gather at the colony demanding to meet them and worrying about their health.

In the course of the beating, the prison staff used non-lethal weapons (special means), a source familiar with the situation in the colony told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on the condition of anonymity. "The beatings of prisoners went on for several hours; and OMON (riot police) agents were called. In total, over 80 inmates were affected," he said.

According to his story, the situation remains tense in the colony. "Relatives of the prisoners are trying to meet them with the help of advocates in order to fix the traces of beatings," said the source.

The press service of the FSIN (Russian Federal Penitentiary Service) Department for the Republic of Kalmykia refused to confirm the information about the incident in the colony. "The incident is not confirmed. Currently, a check is underway," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by an official of the Department.