"Public Verdict" Foundation claims unlawful detention of its members in Cherkessk

Lawyers of the "Public Verdict" Foundation are engaged in preparation of a complaint to be filed to the law enforcement bodies in connection with the detention of its female members in Cherkessk, who were engaged in shooting a documentary film in the city. Officers of the Centre "E" have explained the detention of the women by the fact that they received operative information about their "extremist appearance." Meanwhile, the activists were released after interrogation without protocols drawn up.

The appeal to the law enforcement bodies was provoked by the incident which occurred in Cherkessk on June 5. Asmik Novikova, the manager of the research programmes of the "Public Verdict" Foundation and documentary filmmaker Ksenia Gagai, a volunteer of the Foundation, arrived in the capital of Karachay-Cherkessia to shoot a documentary film about Ruslan Rakhaev, the former chief of the Cherkessk Criminal Investigation Department, who was sentenced for beating a detainee to death.

When the female activists finished shooting, they took a car to Pyatigorsk. However, on the outskirts of the city, they were stopped by several police cars. The policemen demanded from the activists to return to Cherkessk.

Without any explanations, Asmik Novikova and Ksenia Gagai were brought to the Karachay-Cherkessian Centre "E", where they were explained that law enforcers received operative information about their "extremist appearance."

According to Asmik Novikova, the women behaved politely and calmly answered the questions of the law enforcers. When they found out that the members of the "Public Verdict" Foundation were engaged in the shooting of the documentary film, the activists were released without protocols drawn up.

At present, the lawyers of the "Public Verdict" Foundation are engaged in preparation of a complaint in which they ask the law enforcers to check the legality of the activists' detention and inspection, reports Asmik Novikova.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.