Human rights activist Boliev detained in Dagestan released against recognizance not to leave

On February 13, 2006, it became known that Osman Boliev, head of "Romashka" public organization detained on November 15, 2005 in the town of Khasavyurt (Dagestan) was released from custody against recognizance not to leave by a decision of the Khasavyurt town court. This was reported by Makhmut Magomadov, one of Boliev's lawyers, by telephone to the public movement "ChCNA."

For reference, Boliev was charged with illegal storage of ammunition and participation in illegal armed units. Boliev's confession was obtained under torture and systematic beating. "Undoubtedly, the reason for his detainment and torture was his human rights activity," runs the ChCNA statement submitted to the "Caucasian Knot."

The "Romashka" public organization headed by Boliev has been initiator of court proceedings on the case of kidnapping of Khasavyurt resident Yaraly Israilov on October 19, 2004 by officers of Khasavyurt department of internal affairs. On April 18, 2005, in the course of a training seminar on judicial protection in Nazran (Ingushetia), Boliev, along with Karina Moskalenko, legal expert, commissar of international lawyers' commission, and Marietta Arutiunian, lawyer, legal expert of International Protection Facilitation Centre, and Chechen lawyers Jabrail Abubakarov and Malaev Akhmet compiled and sent a complaint on the Israilov's case to the European Court on Human Rights. The European Court recognized the complaint as a priority.

In addition, Boliev publicly disclosed the fact of murder of Summai Abdurashitova, a 6-year old girl, born in 1998, by law enforcement officers during a secret operation on arresting suspected criminals. She was killed on March 14, 2005 in her bed in the village of Solnechnoye, Khasavyurt district, by a fragment of a large-calibre shell. A complaint on the case was also filed in the European Court by lawyers Karina Moskalenko and Marietta Arutiunian.

"There is no doubt that these two cases and his human rights activity have become the cause of his persecution and forced the Khasavyurt power authorities to provoke Boliev," states the ChCNA press-release.

Makhmut Magomadov and Selimat Kadyrova, Boliev's lawyers, have announced that they are going to apply to the Khasavyurt prosecutor's office for initiating a criminal case against officers of Dagestan power authorities who tortured and beat their defendant and conducting a procedure of medical expert examination to confirm beating and torture of Boliev.