Resident of Makhachkala reports illegal detentions for wearing beard

A resident of Makhachkala Kerim Khaibulaev has complained to rights defenders about illegal detentions conducted by policemen. He believes that he has been persecuted because he wears a beard.

Kerim Khaibulaev, 27, brought his complaint about illegal detentions to the Dagestani office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" on January 16, stating that in the past two years power agents repeatedly detained him for wearing a beard.

The most recent incident occurred on December 26, 2014. Khaibulaev was detained and taken to the Sovietskiy ROVD (District Interior Division). On the following day he was released, but policemen warned him that he "would be brought there again."

"Kerim Khaibulaev is a strictly practicing Muslim of the Salafi trend of Islam. He wears a beard to the Muslim custom. Kerim claims that he had never had convictions or any conflicts with the law; and the police’s increased attention is caused only by his beard," says the statement of the HRC "Memorial".

Rights defenders note in their statement that during 2014 the HRC "Memorial" was repeatedly approached by residents of Dagestan, whose personal data was put on some databases or operative registration lists.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.