Muslim headgear caused detention of two girls in Makhachkala, rights defenders assert

In the vicinity of the Southern Bus Station in Makhachkala, policemen detained two girls, one of whom was in a Muslim headgear. The girls were taken to an unknown destination, as Fatima Tarasova, an activist of the Dagestani Republic's Public Association (DRPA) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy), told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"One of them was in a niqab (a Muslim woman's headgear that covers the face with a narrow slit for the eyes, usually black in colour, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"). This was the reason for the detention," suggested Fatima Tarasova, explaining that she learnt about the detention from eyewitnesses.

According to her story, the policemen said that they would deliver the detainees to the Sovietskiy ROVD (District Interior Division). "But after some time their phones stopped answering," said the human rights activist.

According to Fatima Tarasova, representatives of the "Pravozaschita" addressed the on duty unit of the Sovietskiy ROVD, as well as the Lenin and Kirov ROVDs of Makhachkala, but everywhere they were told that they had no such detainees.

Administratively, the Southern Bus Station belongs to the Lenin District. However, the on duty unit of the Lenin ROVD also told the correspondent that the girls had not been delivered there.

The detention was made to check the identity, suggested a source from the Dagestani MIA. "If there's nothing criminal behind the detainees, they are released," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"It's likely that a call of eyewitnesses caused the detention. Imagine: a crowded bus station; and there's a girl in niqab, which is usually black in colour; and that is rare enough for the republic. Apparently, someone called the police and reported about a suspicious girl," suggested the source.

According to his version, most of all, the girls were brought not to a ROVD, but to the CCE (Centre for Combating Extremism).