Abdulmumin Gadjiev tells details of life in SIZO

In his interview with the "Kavkaz.Realii"* outlet from the SIZO (pre-trial prison), Abdulmumin Gadjiev, a Dagestani journalist, told about his custody conditions, and on how he manages to post his materials on the "Chernovik" (Draft) portal and in the Instagram. Gadjiev said that the support of the society helps him to defend both his own rights and other inmates' rights.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Abdulmumin Gadjiev had been charged with financing terrorism. Investigators assert that Abdulmumin and his accomplices had raised 68 million roubles and USD 200,000 for terrorists under the pretext of building mosques and helping poor Muslims. Gadjiev insists on his innocence. His colleagues treat his prosecution as pressure on him because of his journalistic activities.

Abdulmumin said that the SIZO staff, investigators and other inmates tried to prevent him from posting materials from the SIZO. He said that each publication was accompanied by a small special operation, since in Makhachkala he was kept in a cell under the full round-the-clock video surveillance; and he was accompanied to the meetings with his advocate by special wards. Gadjiev was searched from head to toe, and all the papers that were in his hands were carefully examined, after which he was escorted to another building to meet his advocate. At the same time, the guards carefully watched so that they did not pass anything to each other. Gadjiev's notes were checked, and everything that the guards did not like was deleted or torn out of them.

Abdulmumin Gadjiev also described the custody conditions at the Rostov-on-Don SIZO, and inmates' life. There are eight people in his cell; most of its area is occupied by bunk beds, a table and a toilet.

The cells are full of cockroaches, which have developed immunity to all sorts of anti-insect means. The toilet is in the corner of the cell; it is behind a chest-high stone wall on one side and is closed with plywood on the other side; it is covered with makeshift sheets on top. Prior to using the toilet, one has to wait until other inmates finish eating; then he needs to light a fuse to suppress the smell and turn on the tap to muffle the sounds with running water.

The cells in which Muslims are kept have a number of advantages: nobody smokes or drinks alcohol there; Muslim inmates are usually supported by relatives and receive parcels; and they share food they receive with each other, the journalist has explained.

*The publication has been put by the Russian Ministry of Justice into the list of foreign media that act as foreign agents.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 16, 2022 at 00:45 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.