Dagestan: "Pravozaschita" activists complain about pressure from power agents

Power agents are putting pressure on members of the Dagestani regional public organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy). This was stated by its activists – the co-chairs Gulnara Rustamova and Aisha Selimkhanova – in their appeal to the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

According to their story, for the last two months, Gulnara Rustamova has been shadowed; the surveillance is stopped only late at night and resumed in the morning. In early June, power agents searched the house, where she lives with her relatives.

According to the DRPO, on September 15 employees of the Lenin ROVD (District Interior Division) of Makhachkala searched the apartment of Aisha Selimkhanova.

Nothing illegal was found; however, the human rights activist and her husband were questioned at the ROVD.

"Employees of the 'Pravozaschita' are concerned with these actions of law enforcement bodies. They note that in respect of one of them a criminal case has been fabricated: Zarema Bagautdinova is accused of committing an offense under Part 5 of Article 33 and Part 2 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code (aiding IAF participants) and kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) of Makhachkala," says the press release of the HRC "Memorial" issued on September 20 and received by the "Caucasian Knot".