Roundtable: advocates are still not admitted into unit "G" of Makhachkala SIZO

On August 19, Makhachkala hosted a roundtable, where participants discussed the situation with the unit "G" of the SIZO No. 1 (pre-trial prison). Dagestani advocates and human rights defenders have reported on violations of their rights in the performance of their professional duties and violations of the rights of persons kept at the SIZO.

Earlier, the advocates have complained about violation of the rights of inmates of the unit "G" of the Makhachkala SIZO. According to the advocates, for months they are not allowed visiting their clients. On August 15, members of the Public Monitoring Commission (PMC) of Dagestan claimed they were also not allowed visiting the unit.

Magomed Magomedov, a moderator of the meeting, the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Clan", has reported that agents of law enforcement bodies were invited to attend the event; however, none of them came to the meeting.

Advocate Akhmed Suleimanov has emphasized that to get access to the inmates of the unit "G" is extremely difficult. Warders of the SIZO No. 1 have explained that no one is allowed visiting the unit "G" because of the instructions issued by the FSB. According to Akhmed Suleimanov, the unit "G" contains persons suspected of involvement in the combat operations in Syria.

Advocate Ziyavudin has specified that the unit "G" usually does not contains suspected members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), but it contains government officials and law enforcers.

Gasan Aigunov, the Chairman of the Dagestani PMC called on the advocates to inform the Prosecutor's Office about every case of their non-admission to their clients.