22 April 2008, 11:43
Krasnodar Territory militiamen detain participants of picket against tortures
In Dinskaya village of the Krasnodar territory militiamen keep in custody the participants of the picket against tortures, Tatiana Rudakova, Chair of the NGO named "Mothers in Defence of Rights of Detainees, Persons on Trial and Convicts", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
Ms Rudakova asserts that after 1:00 p.m. militiamen from the Dinskaya OVD (Militia Unit) approached the participants of the protest action with an intention to confiscate posters and take certain written explanations. Currently, she and other participants of the picket are not allowed to leave the venue. Nina Nagirnyak, one of the participants of the picket, felt bad, and was taken away by an ambulance.
Tatiana Rudakova has explained that the participants refuse to give any written explanations: firstly, the action was lawful, secondly, the grounds under which they should sign anything are not clear, and thirdly, the picketers wait for their advocate to come. Militiamen are writing some sort of explanations themselves, suggesting the participants to sign them.
The on duty official of the Dinskaya OVD has explained that nobody was detained. According to his version the head of the OVD and his deputy just went to have a talk with the protesters.
We remind you that today about 10 human rights activists and relatives of detainees, persons on trial and convicts have held a protest action in Dinskaya village aiming to draw attention to violations of human rights by the workers of the Dinskaya OVD. They demanded to stop torturing the detainees Mikhail Shevchenko and Aram Dekchyan, and Kostya Kazaryan who is on remand. They also wanted that the law enforcement bodies observe the rights of the trialled Roman Nagirnyak and convict Andrei Monakhov.
Author: Evgeniy Titov, CK correspondent