Human rights defenders call on prisoners from Caucasus to report facts of torture in colonies

A story of Chechen native Khasdin Murtazaliev, who succeeded in seeking prosecution of warders who beat him, shows that prisoners from the Caucasus should more actively defend their rights, human rights defenders note.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the human rights organization "Public Verdict" disseminated a video of beating of prisoners in a Yaroslavl penal colony in 2016. Chechen native Khasdin Murtazaliev, one of the beaten prisoners, was released on January 20. He claimed that the beating in the penal colony had deteriorated his health.

Complaints from natives of the Caucasus against warders are filed fairly frequently, says Khasdin Murtazaliev's advocate Irina Biryukova, a lawyer for the human rights organization "Public Verdict".

"Warders do not let prisoners to pray and seize mats and books. Besides, there is no food for Muslims in penal colonies," the advocate explained.

Warders of Russian penal colonies are especially cruel to prisoners from the Caucasus, suggests Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the "Civic Assistance Committee". The story of Khasdin Murtazaliev shows that it is possible to punish warders if they tortured and beat prisoners, the human rights defender believes.

To punish warders, a "strong will" of prisoners is needed, notes Natalia Taubina, the director of the NGO "Public Verdict". According to her, in case of complaints, warders make every effort to force prisoners to abandon their claims.