Reporters link Sazhidov's refusal to participate in elections with pressure on him

Most of the Dagestani candidates for State Duma, who are outside the plans of those in power, subjected to pressure, the editors-in-chief of Dagestani media told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. This is their explanation of the decision of Sazhid Sazhidov, a coach of the Dagestani wrestling team, to withdraw his candidacy from the elections.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the self-nominee Sazhid Sazhidov announced his refusal to participate in the elections on September 14, at the very end of the campaign.

Sazhid's decision was made under pressure, said Milrad Fatullaev, the editor-in-chief of the Dagestan News Agency "Derbent".

"I think it was a hard decision for him, because until recently Sazhid Sazhidov led an active campaign," said Fatullaev.

In Dagestan, pressure is exerted practically on all the candidates, who are not representing the present political system; and Sazhidov is no exception, Mairbek Agaev, the editor-in-chief of the Dagestani weekly "Chernovik", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Sazhid Sazhidov, being himself a man of the system to this or that extent, nevertheless was outside the plans of the republic's leadership. Nobody could 'break' him, however, but finally the convincing conversations through Sazhidov's influential friends, in my opinion, forced him to abandon the further campaigning," Mr Agaev has suggested.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.