Police ignore ultimatum on return of books and equipment to Dagestani historian Donogo

The equipment and information carriers confiscated during the search were promised to be returned only after their examination, but no terms of return were mentioned, Khadji-Murad Donogo said after the expiration of the activists’ ultimatum to the law enforcement bodies.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Khadji-Murad Donogo, the former deputy director of the National Museum of Dagestan, said that on November 30, the police conducted a search in his house and seized books, flash drives, a mobile phone, and a computer with valuable historical materials. The police asked questions about his participation in scientific conferences in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey and about his contacts there, Khadji-Murad Donogo said.

He notes that the police have not yet returned what was seized during the search. According to the historian, he does not know when his books, equipment, and information carriers will be returned to him.

The law enforcers who conducted the search said that all information carriers would be returned “after an examination,” but the scientist does not know how long it will last.

On December 3, one of the Dagestani Telegram channels posted a demand to the police to return “all books, flash drives, a laptop, and mobile phones” to Khadji-Murad Donogo by 12:00 a.m. on December 4, otherwise mass protests against pressure on the historian were promised. However, no protest actions did take place. The authors of the appeals explained that by the fear of local residents.

At the same time, the historian himself asked people not to participate in the protests announced by the activists.