A workgroup of the Public Chamber for the affairs of the Caucasus reported violations of the rights of the Moslems detained in North Osetia

A press conference of members of a workgroup of the Public Chamber for the affairs of the Caucasus "From Nalchik to Vladikavkaz: a border between justice and reality" was held on June, 8, in the Press center of RIA "Novosti". Human rights activists and journalists spoke about violations of the rights of members of Moslem community detained in Vladikavkaz. 

Journalist Maxim Shevchenko, Chairman of the workgroup, Orkhan Jamal and Nadezhda Kevorkova, observers of TV channels "Dozhd" ("Rain") and "Russia Today", Felix Tsokov, human rights activist from North Osetia, lawyer Elena Lukianova, member of the Public Chamber, took part in the action.

Maxim Shevchenko said that the detained Moslems might have been forced to witness "against themselves and their comrades" adding that the detained were "grouping round the official Religious Board of Muslims of North Osetia" and criticized the position of the republican Ministry of Interior Affairs.

Human rights activist from North Osetia Felix Tsokov reported that the Minister had ordered his subordinates to take extraordinary measures to eliminate involvement of young people in the activities of supporters of radical Islam. 

"18 persons were arrested. If nobody stops it now, from the center, at the level of the machine of government, it may result in destabilization of the situation in Osetia", Tsokov said. He thinks that the detained are undergoing tortures.

Shevchenko specified that none of the 18 detainees is accused of terrorism or Wahabiism but of storage drugs, grenades, cartridges and plastid.