10:50, 27 December 2016

Relatives of militants killed in Grozny fear further detentions

A taxi driver in Grozny. Photo by Magomed Magomedov for the "Caucasian Knot"

Some of the relatives of the militants killed during a counterterrorist operation (CTO) in Grozny, who were repeatedly detained on December 26, are back at large, but their family members do not exclude new detentions. A man, one of the detainees, has told about beating up a younger brother of one of the killed militants at the police station.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 17 Grozny saw several attacks on policemen. During the CTO that followed seven suspected militants were killed. Later, power agents began detaining relatives and friends of those killed.

The policemen's attitude to detainees is generally negative, said one of the earlier detained relatives, adding that he fears new detentions.

According to his story, no violence was applied against detainees at the police station.

Local observers speak about the moral and psychological pressure on relatives of the killed militants.

Earlier, Akhmed Gisaev, the head of the Human Rights Analysis Centre, said that we see here the application of the principle of collective responsibility of people for the deeds committed by their relatives. According to his version, the total number of detainees had exceeded 100 persons.

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

Source: CK correspondents