Bar Association refuses to punish Dagestanis' advocate on FSIN's complaint

The Bar Association of the Saratov Region has rejected the demand of the regional branch of the FSIN (Russian Federal Penitentiary Service) to punish Aza Alieva, an advocate, who defends, among other clients, the natives of Dagestan who had suffered from torture in the Kalmyk colony. Alieva's colleagues have stated that the FSIN's demand is contrary to the lawyers' code of professional ethics.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Saratov regional branch of the FSIN had filed a complaint against Aza Alieva, who represents inmates' interests. The branch has demanded to bring her to disciplinary responsibility, treating her interview about torture at SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 1 in the Saratov Region as "defamatory of honour, dignity and business reputation." Aza Alieva has stated that the FSIN's branch had no right to file a complaint against her with the Bar.

After receiving the complaint from the FSIN's branch, the Bar Association has decided not to apply any sanctions to Aza Alieva.

She has noted that after the public attention was drawn to torture in the colony, the situation of prisoners, including those from the Caucasus, has changed. "There are now much fewer complaints about violence, beatings and extortions of money," Ms Alieva has stated, adding that all her clients, who had reported torture in the Saratov Region are already at large.

The Bar Association is not obliged to punish lawyers on FSIN's complaints, Marina Agaltsova, a lawyer, has pointed out.

Let us remind you that Aza Alieva is also the advocate for the inmates from Dagestan, Magomed Atimagomedov and Daud Kuramagomedov, who are accused of attacking the colony staff in Kalmykia and calling for mass riots.