"Dagestan Mothers" go on hunger strike

At the meeting held in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, in protest against kidnappings, mothers of missing people have announced their intention to start a hunger strike and keep in until President of Dagestan Mukhu Aliev receives them.

Today, a meeting is held in Makhachkala, organized by the "Dagestan Mothers" Committee that operates under the National Public Movement "For Human Rights."

Representatives of the authorities of the capital of Dagestan have ignored the meeting, although invitations were sent to many of them.

Svetlana Isaeva, a member of the "Dagestan Mothers" Public Movement, wanted to commit a self-immolation act today during the meeting, if the authorities did not inform her about the fate of her son of 25, kidnapped by unknown persons on April 26. The organizers of the meeting have stated that it was not an easy task for them to persuade the woman not to do it.

The participants of the meeting have passed a resolution demanding, in particular, to fire the Minister of Interior of Dagestan and Public Prosecutor of Dagestan.

The resolution calls to punish all the persons guilty of murders and kidnappings, and to cancel the Law "On Prohibition of Wahhabite and Other Extremist Activities in the Territory of the Republic of Dagestan."

We remind you that earlier this summer relatives of kidnapped and missing people of the Republic founded the "Dagestan Mothers" Public Movement. The activists of the Movement are collecting information about human rights violations in Dagestan. According to their data, 21 persons have disappeared in the Republic from the beginning of 2007.