Dagestan: Prisoners of Investigatory Isolation Ward No. 1, Makhachkala, Take Hunger Strike

[Human Rights Center Memorial]

Dagestan: Prisoners of Investigatory Isolation Ward No. 1, Makhachkala, Take Hunger Strike

On 9 July 2012 Raisat Yusupovna Elmurzaeva, resident of Dagestan, applied to Memorial Human Rights Center. She wrote that on 6 July she was contacted by her son Zaur Muradovich Gasanov, born 1988, who is serving a sentence in Investigatory Isolation Ward (SIZO) No. 1, Makhachkala. He reported that from 6 July a hunger strike was declared in the SIZO, in connection with the worsening relations of the ЫIZO administration to the prisoners. Late at night, people in masks enter the cells containing prisoners, beat and insult those who are in the special unit with the words: “You aren't people, you should be burnt”. The beatings are accompanied with unprintable cursing and humiliation. In the words of Gasanov, the worsening of imprisonment conditions began after the appearance of a new deputy head of SIZO No. 1, Daud (he did not remember the surname).

The hunger strike lasted several days. According to the words of Zaur Gasanov's parents, the entire prison participated. The representative of the Public Observatory Commission of Dagestan Gasan Aigunov and Human Rights Commissioner in Dagestan Ummupazil Omarova were in contact with those on hunger strike. According to complaints made available after visiting SIZO No. 1, the Makhachkala Prosecutor's Office is carrying out an inspection.

In Spring 2012, 20 people located in SIZO No. 1 disemboweled themselves because of the poor imprisonment conditions. There have been other protests, but they have gone without notice. On the contrary, the situation in the SIZO has deteriorated.

12 July 2012