"Alternative" announces release of a man from slavery in Dagestan

A man, who had been in labour slavery in Dagestan since 2013, was released and returned to Moscow, reported the anti-slavery movement "Alternative".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that yet in 2013, activists of the movement "Alternative", engaged in the liberation of people from labour slavery, drew public attention to the prevailed practice of forced labour at brick factories in Dagestan. The Prosecutor's Office of the republic denied the activists' statements.

According to the anti-slavery movement "Alternative", in 2013, a man named Alexei fell into labour slavery after he lost his passport and looked for casual earnings in Moscow. Near a railway station, a recruiter offered him a job in Dagestan.

According to Alexei, he agreed and was sent by bus to Dagestan. He worked at a brick factory in Kaspiysk until the end of the season, but received no money. Twice the man tried to leave the factory, but he was caught, beaten, and returned. Alexei did not manage to escape until the winter of 2014, but not far from Makhachkala, law enforcers stopped him to check his ID. Then, "taking advantage of the victim's hopeless situation," they proposed him to work for one of their relatives, reported the "Alternative" on its website.

After that, according to the man, for several years, he grazed owners' cattle for free, until a resident of Dagestan secretly took him to an Orthodox church, where Alexei was given a temporary shelter. Later, there was a call to the "Alternative", and its member helped the man to leave for Moscow, the report states.

The websites of the Dagestani Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the Prosecutor's Office have not yet commented on the information.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 23, 2018 at 09:48 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.