31 March 2006, 14:37
US citizen detained in Dagestan released
An investigation of the case of Kelly McEvers, US citizen, continues in Dagestan. She has spent the day talking to investigating officers of Dagestan unit on combating organized crime. No details have been disclosed. However, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has found out that she was given back her passport and allowed to go home. This result has mainly been achieved thanks to lawyer Yusup Dzhakhbarov and coverage of the case by mass media.
However, Kelly McEvers is prohibited to leave the territory of Dagestan. This is explained by the fact that officers of one of the Chechnya prosecutor's office units want to talk to her. It is not clear, what Chechen prosecutor's office employees have to do with the detainment of a US citizen, because the case has been dealt with by Dagestan law enforcement agencies.
In his talk with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Suleiman Uladnev, deputy of Dagestan's People's Assembly who was present when she was brought to the Soviet district militia station in Makhachkala, said: "The behaviour of Dagestan militia officers is a shame which will stain the republic's reputation not only in this country but in the whole world. Militia is thus letting down not only Dagestan leadership but also the Russian President who declares the new democratic policy of the country in front of the world. What is Kelly McEvers going to say when she returns home? Details of her detainment at the militia prison facilities instead of meetings with really clever and intelligent people? The woman literally cried in my hands, pleading to do something when she was in the militia station. It was a shock for her."
Author: Timur Isayev, CK correspondent