Activist from Nalchik challenges refusal to investigate forced fingerprinting

Investigators considered legal the actions of border guard service officers at an airport in the city of Mineralnye Vody, who forced human rights defender Olga Begretova to submit fingerprints and biological material. The human rights defender filed a complaint to the Pyatigorsk Garrison Military Court, pointing out violations of the law by the border guard service officers, and asked the court to oblige investigators to bring the officers to justice.

As reported by the “Memorial” Centre for Defence of Human Rights, in her complaint, Olga Begretova indicated that the Russian law provides for the seizure of personal belongings only within the framework of administrative or criminal proceedings. The seizure of personal belongings, including a mobile phone, should be documented in a protocol, which was not done in the case.

Olga Begretova also noted that in accordance with the law, Russian citizens are subject to mandatory fingerprinting in case if they, due to health or age reasons, are unable to provide information about their identity, are suspected or accused of a crime, are arrested, or have committed an administrative offense, and it is impossible to identify them in any other way. The human rights defender emphasized that the officers of the state control authorities did not have the right to conduct fingerprinting, since she did not give her consent to such procedure. Furthermore, when a person crosses the state border, no forced collection of biomaterials and photography are provided by the law of the Russian Federation.