Chechen native charged within case of hostage-taking at Rostov SIZO

Magomed Alkhanov, a native of Chechnya, who had been kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Rostov-on-Don in connection with the attack on Pskov paratroopers, has been charged with organizing an escape from the SIZO.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 12, 2024, it became known that after the hostage-taking at the Rostov SIZO, Alkhanov, the figurant in the case of the attack on Pskov paratroopers, and two other natives of Chechnya, as well as one native of Dagestan, were transferred to some other SIZO. Advocates are not let to Alkhanov and other detainees; human rights defenders believe that they may be subjected to torture.

Alkhanov's defence has learned that he was accused of participating in and organizing an escape from the Rostov-on-Don SIZO. His advocate has also reported that he was not allowed to see his client, the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD)* reported in its Telegram channel.

Recall that on October 26, 2021, Alkhanov managed to escape from custody during an examination at a psychiatric hospital in Astrakhan. He was detained on November 2, 2021. According to investigators, an FSIN (Russian Federal Penitentiary Service) employee helped him to escape for a bribe of one million roubles.

The "Caucasian Knot" has also reported that on June 16, at the Rostov SIZO, inmates took the staff hostage. The hostage-takers were killed during the assault.

*As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of "inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces."