A human rights activist investigating facts of slavery in Dagestan reports pre-investigative inspection concerning her

Investigative bodies of Saratov region started a pre-investigative inspection concerning Lidia Sviridova, Head of the regional branch of "Union of Soldiers' Mothers" dealing with the case of soldier Andrey Popov accused of desertion who earlier stated that he had been kept in slavery in Dagestan. This was reported by Sviridova herself.

"A representative of regional Investigative committee explained that the reason for the inspection was my participation in the telecast "On-camera" shown by the First channel on September, 2, last year, Sviridova said. - I was summoned for interrogation within the framework of this case. In particular, the investigator inquired on the process of recording the program and whether I had an intention to offend representatives of Dagestan. I replied that there were no signs of humiliation of anyone on ethnic grounds. After the interrogation I specified my own status as a "suspect of committing a crime stipulated by clause "Extremism" of the Criminal Code of Russia".

The human rights activist emphasized that almost half a year had passed since the day of the telecast. "If at least a hint at a crime I committed could be perceived in my comment I should have been brought to account immediately, not half a year later", "Gazeta.ru" quotes her referring to "Interfax". The real reason for the inspection was a vain hope that I would not continue my human rights activities after a serious spine fracture I got ten days after the TV show. But I went back to Andrey Popov's case already a week after I was operated on".

Sviridova thinks that in this way the investigation is trying to bring pressure on her because she has not stopped her search of the people in fact kept in slavery in brick factories of Dagestan, "Echo of Moscow" reports. According to the human rights activist, in process of her work she has been "collecting information on the facts of bringing workers to brick factories of Dagestan, the conditions in which they are kept there and observance of criminal and labour legislation as well as human rights".