Moscow holds picket in memory of Farid Babaev killed in Dagestan

A memory picket of Dagestan human rights activist and member of the "Yabloko" Party Farid Babaev took place today in Moscow near "Kropotkinskaya" Metro from 11:15 to 12:00 a.m. Moscow time. The picketers held Farid Babaev's portrait in mourning frame and posters: "Executors punished, what about customers?", "No to political murders!", "The best ones are assassinated", "Anna Politkovskaya - 2006, Farid Babaev - 2007, Magomed Evloev - 2008".

The participants of the action demanded to continue the investigation of the attempt on Babaev. The interested passers-by were given leaflets with the statement of Babaev's relatives on the course of the investigation. Under their information, the witnesses are under pressure; the relatives ask the authorities of Dagestan to ensure conditions for fair trial.

Chairman of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" Oleg Orlov spoke at the press conference on the situation with human rights in Dagestan dated to the anniversary of Farid Babaev's death and said that Babaev was a colleague of the "Memorial" employees.

"He was not just a 'Yabloko' member, but a true human rights activist. He was one of the pioneers to start investigating disappearances and executions of peaceful residents, corruption and arbitrariness of law enforcement bodies, violations of the electoral legislation, which in fact allow stating falsification of the elections. Probably, someone didn't like it. Unfortunately, the practice of political terror has become an everyday phenomenon," Oleg Orlov said.