Rights defenders criticize release of defendants in case on torture of a Chechen native

The mitigation of punishment for former employees of the Yaroslavl penal colony, accused of torturing Abubakar Tsagalaev, a native of Chechnya, is not grounded, the “Public Verdict” human rights foundation* claims.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in March, the defence reported about ten persons involved in a case on torture of Caucasian natives in a penal colony. Three men suspected of beating Abubakar Tsagalaev, a native of Chechnya, and Vazha Bochorishvili, a citizen of Georgia, were arrested. Two others were under house arrest, but the court decided to release them on recognizance not to leave.

The “Public Verdict” human rights foundation* transmitted to the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” two videos in which law enforcers in a group were beating up two prisoners. One of the videos was shot in August 2016 and captured the beating of a Muslim, who then spent two weeks in a hospital. The second video shows the torture of Vazha Bochorishvili in April 2017. Torture of Caucasian natives in penal colonies has become a regular event, a former prisoner says.

Irina Biryukova, a lawyer for the “Public Verdict” human rights foundation*, has criticized the court’s decision to mitigate the pre-trial restriction measure for two defendants accused of using torture in the penal colony.

Lawyers representing the interests of the victims will make every effort to bring the guilty persons to adequate responsibility, assures Natalia Taubina, the director of the “Public Verdict” human rights foundation*.

* The organization is included by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) of Russia in the register of NCOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.