Spreaders of leaflets calling not to celebrate New Year detained in Dagestan, their relatives report

In Khasavyurt, ten people were detained while spreading leaflets to passersby calling not to celebrate the New Year; and in Izberbash one man was brought to the GOVD (City Interior Division). This was reported by detainees' relatives.

"Last night I was spreading leaflets 'On Position of New Year in Islam' that I took at the mosque. A car drove up, policemen jumped out of it; they pushed into the car and brought into the territory of the GOVD. There, I was told that I was acting illegally; nobody would listen to my objections; in response I heard only threats. I was released only this morning," Sadi Israpilov, a resident of Izberbash, said on December 28.

"My second cousin Magomed Abdulkerimov was detained three days ago, when he came up to his familiar guys, who were spreading these leaflets. In total, 10 people were brought to the interior division, six were released, while Magomed and three other persons were sentenced by the magistrate judge to 10 days of administrative arrest each," said Magomed Khuchbarov, a resident of the village of Chontaul, Kizilyurt District, about detentions in Khasavyurt.

The lawyer Ziyavdin Uvaisov believes that policemen in Dagestan are breaking the law. "Nobody has the right to detain people for spreading leaflets calling not to celebrate the New Year."