17:54, 7 August 2013

Dagestan: Khadjalmakhi villagers complain to rights defenders about local people's guards

Residents of the village of Khadjalmakhi, Levashin District of Dagestan, have complained to the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" that the regiments of voluntary people's guards commit pogroms and set houses on fire.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 2 Khadjalmakhi villagers reported that some houses, earlier abandoned by those who had been treated as Wahhabis, were robbed and wrecked. Locals stated that people's guards were guilty of doing it, as well as the incident, when on June 30 a car with officials was shelled.

On August 6, Khadjalmakhi villagers appealed to the HRC "Memorial". According to their story, on August 5-6, the houses of three residents, practicing the Salafi branch of Islam, were burnt down in the village.

The owners of the houses had earlier left the village: their names were on the "execution list"; and they feared persecution, said the press release of the HRC "Memorial" of August 7, which was received by the "Caucasian Knot".

The number of the villagers who turned for help to the HRC "Memorial" is not specified.