Dagestani Omar Murtazaliev returned from SIZO to penal colony

They plan to transfer Omar Murtazaliev, a native of Dagestan, to another correctional institution, but in the meantime he has been returned to the penal colony in the Kurgan Region, where he was held earlier, his advocate has informed. Murtazaliev himself has complained about threats, his deteriorating health and absence of halal food.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 29, 2024, Murtazaliev's parents said that the administration of the above colony in the Kurgan Region used to regularly place him into a solitary cell as punishment. On March 17, it became known that Murtazaliev was transferred, without any explanations, from his colony to the SIZO (pre-trial prison) located in the town of Shadrinsk.

Murtazaliev has reported that he was transferred to the SIZO from the colony under the pretext of going to hospital (according to his story, his eyesight had seriously deteriorated) as a witness within a criminal case about the illegal organization of gambling in the colony.

He assumes that he was taken out "so that he would not create problems with another video appeal." He also believes that he is "hidden from everyone at the SIZO in order to concoct a new criminal case as revenge for the video appeal," and emphasized that before being sent to Shadrinsk he was threatened with being sent to prison, where they "break" obstinate prisoners.

Murtazaliev has complained that he receive no normal nutrition, since the food was cooked with pork.

Besides, a report was drawn up against him for violation of the custody regime for praying after the curfew, and was repeatedly placed into the dungeon (punishment cell), where there was not even an outlet for a boiler, which would allow him to prepare hot food for Iftar (he spent a significant part of the month of Ramadan in the dungeon, when Muslim believers are fasting during the day and eat at night).