HRC "Memorial" sends to ECtHR answers in case on kidnapped resident of Makhachkala

The consideration by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) of a complaint about the ineffective investigation into the disappearance of Makhachkala resident Omar Valibagandov has reached its final stage, report rights defenders.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on August 22, 2013, Omar Valibagandov, a resident of Makhachkala, went to work, but never returned home. His relatives found out that on the other day, beaten and wounded Omar was brought to the Izberbash hospital. Doctors had pulled a rubber bullet out of his wound, but after he had been provided with medical assistance, law enforcers took Omar Valibagandov to some unknown destination. The investigation did not give the relatives any answers about his fate, and in 2016, they filed a complaint to the ECtHR.

When the family members of Omar Valibagandov appealed to the police to complain about his kidnapping, they were refused in opening a criminal case. According to the police letter, Omar Valibagandov had already written an explanation for what had happened: he accidentally shot himself with a pistol he had found on the beach and left the hospital by his own will. The handwriting examination found out that Omar Valibagandov never wrote the explanation, but no one was brought to justice for this falsification, reported the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" in November 2016.

On November 2, the HRC "Memorial" sent to the ECtHR the observations in the Omar Valibagandov's case, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been informed today by advocate Marina Agaltsova, who represents the interests of Islam, a brother of Omar Valibagandov, at the European Court.

"Observations are sent when the Court has communicated the case and asked questions to the government and to us, and these are answers to the questions asked by the Court. After observations, the Court usually pronounces a decision. That is, this is the final stage before the decision is made," the advocate has explained.

While responding to the complaint, the Russian government did not dispute that the state was guilty of the Omar Valigabandov's disappearance and that the criminal investigation was ineffective, reports a message posted on the HRC "Memorial" website on November 7.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 8, 2018 at 03:29 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.