Relatives of Muslims detained in KBR claim planted evidence

During searching Muslims’ homes, law enforcers planted SIM cards; the cases of taking part in a terrorist organization were fabricated, the Muslims’ relatives have stated in their complaint addressed to human rights defenders. In total, 48 people were detained during the law enforcers' operation conducted in the city of Nalchik and the village of Nartan, human rights defenders have reported.

Six residents of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic (KBR) have sent appeals to the KBR’s Human Rights Centre and to Boris Zumakulov, Republic's Ombudsperson, in defence of their relatives, whom law enforcers detained at night on May 14, 2025.

"Similar detentions were also conducted in 42 households in Nalchik and Nartan. All the detainees are practicing Muslims," the Centre's website has informed.

The applicants claim that the searches followed the same pattern: during the searches of their homes, SIM cards were found and seized, which, according to the applicants, did not belong to them and were planted by law enforcers, human rights defenders have reported, posting photos of the complaints.

Thus, Ganga Makhmudova asserts that at two o'clock at night on May 14, law enforcers broke into her house and "at gunpoint" put her two sons, Ansar and Amin Khurum, against the wall. "Three people in civilian clothes ran into one of the rooms, and one of them leaned over the door, as if he put something there, I personally saw it," she said in her complaint. According to her story, law enforcers conducted the search without presenting a warrant; and when they reached the room where three law enforcers had already been, they found a phone with a SIM card on it. Her sons claimed that they saw this phone for the first time.

On May 16, Ansar Khurum was arrested for 10 days for disobeying law enforcers; and Amin was accused of involvement in the activities of a terrorist organization; he stays at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 1, the woman has added.

Rimma Bichekueva has stated that her son Azamat, a father of five children, was detained at night; the search was conducted in his absence. According to her story, one of the law enforcers, knowing that she was a Balkar, said a phrase in the Kabardian language before the search. "Everything is in place, everything has been planted; we can begin," she has quoted the law enforcer’s words in her complaint. According to her story, after this, a telephone and a SIM card were found during the search. Ms Bichekueva claims that the law enforcers behaved "rudely" and scared the children very much; and also seized telephones and children's tablets.

Fatimat Zholabova from Nalchik has reported that during the search, a law enforcer opened the TV stand and put something there; then another law enforcer deliberately went to the stand and found a phone with a SIM card there. She has added that physical violence was applied against her son Zaur Zholabov.

In her complaint, Yamze Prosvirina, another Nalchik resident, claims that during the search, only two air pistols were seized from her son, Eduard Prosvirin, for which he has a permit. Nevertheless, he was arrested for two months.

The website of the above Human Rights Centre has also posted a complaint by Elina Daurova, the wife of Arthur Tenov, who reports that a phone was planted during the search, and when choosing the freedom restriction measure, she noticed that her husband was beaten up. Iza Bersekova from Nartan has stated that the case against her son, Timur Bersekov, was fabricated.

On May 15, the “Sapa Kavkaz” Telegram channel reported the detention of 16 KBR residents suspected of terrorist activities. The report claims that the 39-year-old Aslan E., who aimed to attack law enforcers’ lives and state power facilities, could have organized a terrorist cell no later than March 2024. He recruited 15 acquaintances aged 23 to 57 years old to take part in this activity. During searches of suspects' homes, they found a sawed-off shotgun, rifles, traumatic and air pistols, for which they had due permits. Knives, religious literature and 290 ammunition rounds, 11 of which were live, were also seized.

After May 14, the KBR’s Branch of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) has not reported on a new case on the activities of a terrorist organization in its website or in its Telegram channel.

This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 3, 2025 at 12:14 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.