Members of Russian Public Chamber and human rights activists discuss kidnapping issue in Dagestan

A delegation of the Russian Public Chamber headed by Nikolai Svanidze and well-known Russian human rights defenders held a meeting with top managers of the law enforcement bodies of Dagestan and Republic's NGOs. The delegation was also received by President of Dagestan Mukhu Aliev.

The meeting of the members of Public Chamber and human rights activists with top law enforcers of Dagestan was held without journalists. According to Nikolai Svanidze, "the talk with power agents was frank, and I wish to thank the command of law enforcement bodies for understanding and frankly answering our questions."

The meeting of the members of Public Chamber and human rights activists with representatives of Dagestan public organizations was held on a much broader scale.

Abdurahman Yunusov, President of the Dagestan Information Analytical Centre "Rakurs" (Shooting Angle), raised the problem of poor awareness of citizens about what happens in their Republic. "Why don't the authorities explain what happens: why there are explosions, who and why kidnaps people?" Mr Yunusov asked.

Magomed Gazimagomedov, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Dagestan, asked not to put all the blame on the militia. "We've built so many mosques, who prevents from praying?" asked the Deputy Minister. "Do law enforcers kill and blow up peaceful residents? Those who are ready to lay down arms won't be executed, but those who open fire on our employees will be liquidated."

Madina Magomedova, a representative of the charitable fund in support of invalids and orphans, said that she has facts of pressure and knocking out evidences by law enforcers out of suspects of Wahhabism or assistance to illegal armed formations. Nikolai Svanidze asked her to give names, so that the officials of the Prosecutor's Office, MIA and FSB, present at the meeting could take adequate steps.

"I'm scared," she answered and refused to give names, having stated that in that case "they can simply be assassinated."

A debate between Svetlana Isaeva, co-chair of the NGO "Mothers of Dagestan", and Svetlana Sultanova, who represented wives of law enforcers, nearly turned out into a scandal.

"What is the idea or religion, for the sake of which their sons go to the forests and every week execute our husbands?" Ms Sultanova asked, addressing her counterpart from the "Mothers of Dagestan". "Last year only, 38 militiamen were killed. In fact, we are same wives and mothers."

The outcomes of the meeting were summed up by Liudmila Alekseeva, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group. "I can't say that I liked today's roundtable," the famous Russian human rights defender said. "But all the same, it should have been held. Look: so much people came. It means that we need talking, there's a must. Not only Dagestan, the whole country faces a problem - there's an abyss between citizens and the power. We need to reach and understand each other."