ECtHR awards compensation for torture to 11 natives of Northern Caucasus

The complaints about torture and unfair trial submitted by residents of Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia were considered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Each of the applicants was awarded compensation in the amount of EUR 52,000.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the ECtHR passed decisions on 11 complaints of torture within the case of "Idrisov et all versus Russia". The applicants complained of torture. The case of Abutalip Shakhruev was considered within this complaint.

Yusup Ektumaev was detained on April 17, 2012, tortured at the Chechen police stationed and forced to testify against himself. According to his story, they had beat up his body with truncheons, used electric shocks, and threatened him with sexual violence.

Together with Ektumaev, Makhmud Madaev was convicted under the same case. Policemen demanded from him to confess to involvement in the explosion, and when he refused, began beating him up and strangling him; they broke his fingers and threatened to kill his family. After torture, Madaev had to sign a confession.

Zubair Idrisov was detained in Chechnya on September 3, 2009, on suspicion of attempted murder. During interrogation, policemen kicked him and beat him up with their fists, poured water on him and used electricity, forcing him to confess to the explosion.

Khavazh Magomadov and Bislan Magomadov, residents of Grozny, were detained on September 19, 2010, on suspicion of an attempt on the life of law enforcers. Policemen tortured the applicants with electric shocks, poured boiling water over them and beat them up with rubber truncheons. The torture continued for several days until they agreed to confess.

The decisions of the ECtHR are important, even if they fail to result in punishment of the perpetrators of torture, Abubakar Yangulbaev, a lawyer of the Committee against Torture (CaT), has noted.