08 July 2023, 12:02
Advocates denied access to case on death of girl from Malgobek
An investigator refused to provide the materials of the case on the death of a four-year-old victim of torture from Malgobek to advocates representing the interests of the victim. A top-ranking official in Ingushetia said forensic experts found no signs of sexual abuse on the child’s body.
On April 30, the girl was taken to a hospital in severe condition, and a criminal case was instituted against her mother and grandmother for beatings. The girl’s mother was later arrested. On May 6, the woman was accused of causing grievous bodily harm to her daughter, and on May 16, the leader of Ingushetia announced that the girl had died in the hospital. The death of the child caused a wide public outcry, as sources testified that the girl was subjected to severe sexualized violence, which official sources did not mention. Human rights defenders demanded to bring to responsibility the inactive guardianship officials.
Advocate Magomed Bekov reported that the investigator refused to provide the defenders with the materials of the case on the death of the child, the “Kavkaz.Realii”* reports.
Residents of Ingushetia express their fears that the authorities of the republic are trying to slow down the case on the cruel torture of the four-year-old girl.
According to neighbours, people drinking alcohol regularly gathered in the apartment of Tamila Mutsolgova, and her children looked unkempt, were constantly hungry and cried.
Activist Anzhela Matieva believes that all officials responsible for working with dysfunctional families should leave their posts after the tragedy in Malgobek. The activist also noted the indifferent attitude of the society towards the problems of children in dysfunctional families.
Cases of sexualized child abuse are often not reported, and if they become publicly known, the police are reluctant to investigate them, notes Emma R., an employee of an international human rights organization.
*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 7, 2023 at 02:53 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: СK correspondent
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