International organizations come up in protection of Osman Boliev, human rights activist from Dagestan

The "Caucasian Knot" editorial office has received a joint open letter of the International Helsinki Federation on Human Rights, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Moscow Helsinki Group in protection of Osman Boliev, a well-known human rights activist from Dagestan, addressed to Rashidkhan A. Magomedov, prosecutor of the Republic of Dagestan.

The text of the letter is given below.

"Dear Mr. Prosecutor,

On behalf of the International Helsinki Federation on Human Rights, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Moscow Helsinki Group, we should like to address you in order to express our concern on the initiation of a criminal case against Osman Boliev, a well-known human rights activist, less that a month after the earlier charges against him have been dropped. On June 14, 2006, investigators visited Boliev's house at 32, Mir Street, in Khasavyurt (Republic of Dagestan) and obliged him to come on June 19 for interrogation, most likely in connection with initiation by the Khasavyurt district prosecutor of a criminal case under articles 208 ( para. 2, involvement in illegal armed units) and 222 (para. 1, illegal carrying and storing of firearms) of the RF Criminal Code. As of this moment, the grounds for the charge remain unclear.

Mr. Boliev is a widely known human rights activist from Dagestan. The "Romashka" organization headed by him represents the interests the clients who filed their applications at the European Court on Human Rights. We are concerned that the new accusations against Mr. Boliev are yet another step in the campaign of Dagestan authorities against human rights activists and part of coordinated action of Russian authorities aimed at intimidation and suppression of Russian human rights activists.

Mr. Boliev was detained by Khasavyurt militiamen on October 15, 2005. He was subjected to torture, and two days after the arrest a grenade was found in the pocket of his coat. This evidence was used as a basis for initiating a criminal case under article 222, para. 1 (illegal carrying and storing of firearms) of the RF Criminal Code. Mr. Boliev had been kept in custody for 3 months, but on May 18 he was acquitted and all charges against him dropped. The criminal case proved to be inconvenient for the Dagestan prosecutor's office and became an example of a framed charge which, at present, is an inalienable part of the law enforcement system in North Caucasus.

We should like to remind you that the Russian Federation carries a political and legal obligation to protect human rights activists. Being a UN member, the Russian Federation is under obligation to abide by Resolution 53/144 of the UN General Assembly "UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally

Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms " (Declaration on Human Rights Activists), which runs:

Everyone is entitled, individually and in association with others, to be protected effectively under national law in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts, including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts of violence perpetrated by groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (Art. 12.3)

The International Helsinki Federation on Human Rights and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee are seriously concerned with the fact that Mr. Boliev may become victim of ungrounded persecution by the Khasavyurt prosecutor's office and law enforcement agencies. We should very much like you to use your powers and ensure Mr. Boliev's charges to be dropped, and initiate criminal investigation with regard to the actions of local law enforcement agencies in this outrageous case,," runs the letter.

The letter is signed by:

D-r Aaron Rodes, Executive Director, International Helsinki Federation on Human Rights;

Bjorn Engeslend, Secretary General, Norwegian Helsinki Committee;

Liudmila Alexeeva, Chairperson, Moscow Helsinki Group.