Lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova severely beaten in Dagestan

As reported by the HRC "Memorial", on June 17 in the afternoon, employees of the GOVD (City Interior Division) of Khasavyurt, Republic of Dagestan, severely beat lawyer Sapiyat Magomedova.

As reported by Sapiyat's colleague Adilgerei Omarov, chairman of the Bar "Omarov and Partners", where Ms Magomedova is a member, on June 17 she came to the GOVD to meet her client Malika Evtomirova, who had been detained earlier on that very day.

At about 4:00 p.m., after having presented her ID, the lawyer passed into the GOVD building through the check post and went upstairs to inspector Zakir Stambulov to ask for access to Evtomirova.

According to Omarov, Magomedova has a warrant: earlier she had already worked with her client. In spite of it, the inspector rejected her access to the client, called a militia group and ordered them: "Throw her out of here."

After that, as Magomedova's colleague reported, four OMON (Special Militia) fighters of the GOVD of Khasavyurt began violently beating her with fists and feet. Militia boss Shamil Temigereev ran out to the noise and ordered "to throw her out". The lawyer was dragged, in the state of unconsciousness, to the check post and left there. Sapiyat had her gold chain lost, her mobile phone broken.

She was brought by an ambulance to the Khasavyurt city hospital, where she was without consciousness till evening; however, the forensic medical expert refused to examine her.

Employees of the Khasavyurt GOVD and forensic medical experts were inaccessible for comments.

Sapiyat Magomedova is a member of the Khasavyurt Bar "A. S. Omarov and Partners", known for position of principle of its members in defence of citizens' legitimate rights and interests.