Dagestan: advocate of robbery suspect claims being not allowed to visit her client

Sapiyat Magomedova, an advocate of Magomed Aliev, a resident of Dagestan, suspected of involvement in an act of robbery, has appealed to the head of the Inherent Security Department of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (known as FSIN) in Dagestan with a complaint about the actions of staff member of the SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 1 of Makhachkala. The advocate claims the SIZO staff members prevent her admission to the defendant.

Sapiyat Magomedova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that she was repeatedly not allowed to visit her client under various pretexts. According to her, on May 8, a "generally abnormal incident" occurred at the SIZO, and it prompted her to appeal to the FSIN Inherent Security Department. According to Sapiyat Magomedova, on that day, she managed to visit her client; however, the meeting was brief, since a SIZO warder gave them "just five minutes" and warned that after five minutes he would take the prisoner away.

"He came in three minutes and asked Magomed Aliev to come out. And my client left the room in order not to create a conflict. Magomed Aliev was intimidated, and I could hardly hear what he was saying," the advocate has explained.

The SIZO staff members deny the accusations and claim creating no obstacles to anyone.