17:48, 7 May 2014

Azamat Akhkubekov, figurant in Nalchik attack case, stops hunger strike in SIZO

On May 6, Azamat Akhkubekov, a defendant in the case dealing with the attack on Nalchik, was transferred from the dungeon into a prison cell. At the same time, he stopped his hunger strike, which lasted for 22 days, said Mustafa Taukenov, a representative of the Ombudsperson in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Azamat Akhkubekov was kept in the dungeon of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) since March 26; and on April 15 he went on hunger strike. According to his wife Alyona Akhkubekova, he was placed into the dungeon for refusing to move to another cell – from the two-bed one into the six-bed cell. According to Auyes Birmamitov, Assistant of the Chief of the UFSIN (Department of the Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service) for the KBR, Akhkubekov was placed into the dungeon for making a hole in the wall of his cell.

According to Mustafa Taukenov, he, along with members of the new Public Oversight Commission (POC) of the KBR, had visited Akhkubekov in the dungeon and persuaded him to stop his hunger strike.

At the same time, Taukenov promised to investigate the case and assist in fulfilling the demands put forward by Azamat Akhkubekov and several other prisoners.

Author: Lyudmila Maratova

Source: CK correspondent