Police refuse to investigate journalists' statements about attack in Makhachkala

The Dagestani Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has refused to institute a criminal proceeding on the complaints made by the journalists of the newspaper "Chernovik" (Draft) about attacks and obstruction of their professional activities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Makhachkala Mayor's Office refused to sanction an anticorruption rally to be held on June 12; however, its organizer announced his intention to hold the event without a sanction from the authorities. The police detained eight persons at the place of the planned action. Several provocateurs attacked the journalists, including the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, who arrived at the place.

Reporters of "Chernovik" were also attacked. Photos of the people who attacked the journalists were disseminated in the media and social networks, and thus, the journalists could identify three of them. The number of the attackers included an official from the Makhachkala Mayor's Office and an entrepreneur from the Tlyarata District, the "Chernovik" reported on June 16.

On July 6, the "Chernovik" was informed that no components of crime were detected in the actions of the people who attacked the journalists.

According to a Dagestani MIA's official, engaged in a check carried out at the request of the "Chernovik", the ROVD (District Interior Division) for the Soviet District of Makhachkala, where the complaints had been filed, qualified the actions of the identified young people as "arbitrariness."

Therefore, the decision was made to refuse institution of a criminal case in connection with the absence of components of a crime.

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