Chechen inmates stop hunger strike in Vologda colony

On October 8, seven natives of Chechnya stopped their hunger strike in the colony. Muslim inmates are now allowed to pray; however, they are under pressure, the mother of the convict Adam Magomerzaev has reported today.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the mother of Adam Magomerzaev, a native of Chechnya, who is serving his term in a colony in the Vologda Region, said that her son and six other Muslim prisoners had gone on an unlimited hunger strike on October 2.

According to the mother, at night on October 12, she received a phone call from an operative agent and said that all the hunger-strikers had stopped their protest action back on October 8; they are no longer kept in the dungeon (punishment cell), and received back their earlier confiscated prayer items. He said that he was calling at the request of colony's bosses. "Apparently, the administration was frightened," said the mother. Referring to her sources in the colony, she added that Muslim prisoners are now allowed praying; and they are no longer beaten up.

The mother of Adam Magomerzaev believes that humiliations stopped after publications in the media. "They learned that journalists – of your edition, in particular, – are aware of what is happening in the colony," she told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. However, although prisoners are no longer exposed to physical violence, they are still intimidated and provoked, said the mother.

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