Chechen native is persecuted in Karelian penal colony for his religious belief, his relatives assert

Relatives of Beslan Dadaev, a native of Chechnya, claimed about pressure upon him by staff members of the penitentiary institution IK-9 located in Petrozavodsk in Karelia. Beslan Dadaev is permanently brought to a punishment cell for praying. This was claimed by relatives of Beslan Dadaev.

In 2002, Beslan Dadaev was sentenced for participating in illegal armed formations (IAFs), and he is serving his sentenced at the IK-9 of Petrozavodsk. Staff members of the penitentiary institution "do not like the fact that the prisoner observes religious precepts of Islam." This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" by a relative of Beslan Dadaev.

"It seems that warders check time of a regular prayer to visit the cell exactly at that time. Then, the following events are treated as disobedience, and the warders do not care that a Muslim cannot stop praying," said the relative of the prisoner.

The relatives of Beslan Dadaev insist on his transfer from Karelia to serve his sentence at his native republic.

"We have appealed for help to the Committee for Protection of Prisoners' Rights of the International Right Protection Movement (IRPM) 'Unity', which carries out a campaign for the return of citizens serving their sentences in places of residence of their relatives and friends to strengthen the family and kinship relations," the relative has said.