Open address on threats to human rights defenders and journalists in Dagestan

To: President of the Republic of Dagestan M. G. Aliev,
General Public Prosecutor of the Russian Federation Yu. Ya. Chaika,
Director of the FSB of Russia Army General A. V. Bortnikov

We are addressing you because of threats. A certain grouping "of relatives of perished militiamen" has disseminated a leaflet, in which it took responsibility for several murders and now threatens to execute journalists, human rights activists and advocates.

From early September 2009, hundreds of leaflets have been broadly disseminated in Makhachkala, published on behalf of "relatives of the militiamen assassinated in Dagestan." They run that since "the authorities of the republic are unable to struggle with extremism, the relatives themselves will take revenge for those perished and fight for the future of their children." Among the 250 persons to be the "relatives'" objects of vengeance, there are "the so-called human rights defenders, on duty advocates and 'tamed' journalists; some of them publish their materials under pseudonyms in extremist websites, others are making heroes of them in newspaper pages." Sixteen persons are named, including Suleiman Uladiev, director of the GTRK (State Television and Radio Company) "Dagestan"; Gadjimurad Kamalov, founder of the "Chernovik" newspaper; and human rights defenders Svetlana Isaeva and Isalmagomed Nabiev.

The leaflets assert that on August 23, 2009, "the murder verdict was executed in relation to a group of bandits involved in committing terror acts and murders of law enforcers and peaceful citizens." They speak about the kidnapped Arthur Butaev, Gadji Gudaliev and Amiraslan Islamov, whose scorched bodies were found on August 26 in a burnt-down car. Arsen Butaev and Islam Askerov, who were kidnapped together with them, managed to run away; and their evidences allow understanding the operation mechanism of "death squadrons", acting today in Northern Caucasus.

Thus, either power agencies try to make a certain secret organization of "avengers" responsible for their crimes, or just another terrorist grouping is being formed in Dagestan.

Here, in Dagestan, like elsewhere in Northern Caucasus, peaceful people perish. We have a system in place here with its integral elements - torture, kidnappings, illegal prisons and extrajudicial executions. Peaceful population is squeezed between two opposing parties - the underground and power agencies - and innocently suffers.

The state should act from the viewpoint of human rights and the law. It is inadmissible that people perceive terrorists and law enforcers as two competing groupings, equally ruthless and immoral.

We hereby call you to make everything necessary for ensuring safety of those, whom these newly appeared "avengers" have declared to be their enemies.

O. P. Orlov, Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial"
L. A. Ponomaryov, All-Russian Movement "For Human Rights"

September 8, 2009.