Human rights activist of Kabardino-Balkaria ask Kanokov to investigate violations of believers' rights

On December 20, a press conference was held in the Kabardino-Balkarian Human Rights Centre, where Valery Khatazhukov, head of the Centre, announced the open letter addressed to President of Kabardino-Balkaria Arsen Kanokov and telling about violations of the rights of Moslems in the Republic.

It follows from the letter of human rights activists that Bzhakhov, Astemir Mugadovich, a resident of Zalukokoazhe village of the Zolskiy District of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), was periodically exposed to searches and interrogations. Last time the employees of the Zolskiy ROVD (District Militia Unit) searched his house on November 14, 2007. On that day, Mr Bzhakhov was delivered to the UBOP (Department for Fighting Organized Crime) of the KBR's Ministry of Internal Affairs KBR, where he was exposed to physical violence.

On November 30, 2007, Astemir Bzhakhov was summoned to interrogation, during which the employee of the prosecutor's office Mamyshev forced him to write an application stating that he had no complaints against the employees of the MIA's UBOP of the KBR who had detained him on November 14.

Further, the open letter deals with the accident with Zeitun Gaev, detained on November 15, 2007, on suspicion of his links with militants, who, according to the version of law enforcement bodies, later committed suicide by jumping out from the window of the fourth floor of the MIA's UBOP building. However, the Prosecutor's Office of Nalchik has already initiated a criminal case on the fact.

"Amina Sasikova, a resident of Svetlovodskoe village of the Zolskiy District, whose husband - Anzor Sasikov - is accused of participation in the events on October 13, 2007, has been repeatedly and unreasonably summoned to interrogations," the letter runs.

Human rights activists are also worried of the facts of disappearances of people. Thus, Beslan Shavaev, born in 1985, a resident of Khasanya village, disappeared on December 10, 2007, under unknown circumstances.