Relatives of sisters, who went missing in Chechnya, demand to resume inquiry

Elita Aidamirova, a sister of Zargan and Satsita Aidamirov, who disappeared in the Kurchaloi District of Chechnya, has told about the circumstances of the incident that occurred in 2013. According to her story, the investigation into her sisters' disappearance was repeatedly suspended; and family members were under pressure.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Aidamirov sisters disappeared under unclear circumstances in the dwelling settlement of Geldagan in the Kurchaloi District of Chechnya on May 9, 2013. According to the prosecutor's office, Zargan, 23, and Satsita, 25, worked at a private car wash. After they went missing, traces of blood were found in the car wash facility.

Elita Aidamirova, the elder sister of the missing women, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that a criminal case had been opened on their disappearance, but it was repeatedly suspended.

After the case was closed, Zamani Magieva, their mother, turned to human rights organizations, including the "Committee against Torture" (CaT). After that, they began exerting pressure on all the family members. Law enforcers were beating up their brother.

"They demanded from him to self-slander and confess to himself having done something to his sisters. At hospital, they were even afraid to fix the beatings," said the mother.

Elita Aidamirova said that some of the circumstances of her sisters' disappearance became known immediately, and some others – a few years later.

"People say that on that day there was a raid ... Armed people were driving cars with darkened windows and, allegedly, were revealing violations. It was such a car with some music turned on at full volume that approached the car wash. People heard shots. Probably, these armed men took my sisters away," said Elita.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 18, 2018 at 04:15 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.