Human rights defenders report about detention of Chechen athlete by law enforcers

World boxing champion Umar Salamov has been kidnapped by law enforcers together with residents of the village of Alkhan-Kala. The athlete has not been charged with aiding and abetting militants, but there is still no information about his whereabouts, human rights defender Oleg Orlov and Oyub Titiev report.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on January 18, the Human Rights Protection Centre “Memorial” reported that information about the kidnapping of at least 25 residents of the village of Alkhan-Kala by Chechen law enforcers had been confirmed. On April 24, the human rights defenders reported that the kidnapped people were being kept in one of the detention facilities in Chechnya on the charges of involvement with the militants’ activities. Residents of Chechnya, whose relatives are being kept by law enforcers, do not address human rights organizations, as they are afraid that their addresses will aggravate the situation of their relatives.

There is no information about the investigation into the case on involvement in the militants’ activities against residents of the Alkhan-Kala village, but it is known that one of the detainees, athlete Umar Salamov, is not involved in the case, Oyub Titiev reports.

Oleg Orlov has also confirmed the information about the detention of the well-known athlete.

“Umar Salamov is a world and European boxing champion. Perhaps, due to this side of his autobiography, he was not prosecuted, like the rest of the kidnapped people. There is unverified information that the athlete is being kept in the residence of the leader of the republic,” Oleg Orlov summed up.