Jamaat case at Dagestani colony sparks scepticism among human rights defenders

The staff of Dagestani penal colonies is monitoring the entry into territory thereof of even such items as foodstuffs, not to mention components for making explosives. Law enforcers could have opened a case about Jamaat in the colony in order to improve their performance after the terror act committed at the Crocus City Hall, human rights defenders have suggested.

On April 11, it became known that three residents of Dagestan were arrested in connection with a terrorist community. While serving their terms in a colony, they united into an illegal armed formation (IAF) with terrorist intentions and were preparing attacks on law enforcers, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) has informed.

The information that some components for making explosives had been allegedly brought into the colony to the convicts within terrorism looks doubtful, Shamil Khadulaev, a member of the Dagestani Public Oversight Commission (POC), has noted. He also doubted the existence of Jamaats (Muslims' religion associations, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") at Dagestani colonies.

"They are downloading plans from top to bottom to uncover extremist communities. Those who fail to reveal such are punished," said Vladimir Osechkin*, the founder of the human rights project "Gulagu.net"*.

He has emphasized that such measures are one of the ways to encourage those serving their sentences in colonies to enter into contracts with the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.