Prisoners of Dimitrovgrad colony stopped the hunger strike – muslims are still being tortured

Prisoners of Dimitrovgrad colony stopped the hunger strike – muslims are still being tortured

60 prisoners going on a hunger strike in Dimitrovgrad colony to support the Northern Caucasus natives, who were beaten and humiliated, halted the hunger strike having been desperate to achieve any results. 

The media outlet “Kavkazky uzel” reports this news relying on prisoners’ relatives and human right activists’ insights. 

Moreover, the prosecutors’ office and investigative committee are verifying the information on prisoner’s self-mutilation. The “Civic aid” committee informs that human right activists, in their turn, are preparing the address to supervision agencies concerning discrimation on religious background.

Gulagu.net human rights initiative advises that the incident occurred on April 13, when in Dimitrovgrad colony, Ulyanovsk region, fasting prisoners primarily natives of Chechnya and Ingushetia were beaten. 

Relying on the available data, fighters of the joint unit UFSIN went far beyond their authority in the course of the raid: during the holy month of Ramadan for muslims they destroyed Koran books belonging to prisoners and their praying mats. They were insulting and humiliating them based on the background of their religion and nationality. One of the prisoners Rasanbek Bekmurazev was hospitalized after being badly beaten. 

Human right activists claim that dozens of prisoners cut their hands and bellies to object this, as well as to make sure injuries are documented and the supervisory prosecutor and supervising committee attend. They were supported by other non-muslim prisoners from other units. Next day about 100 prisoners went on a hunger strike. 

According to the relatives of Dimitrovgrad prisoners, official, including human right organizations misrepresent the actual situation in the colony for officials to avert accountability. 

— The situation is very complicated. Over 100 prisoners went on a hunger strike. They stopped it on the eve of Uraza-Bayram holiday on April 29 not because their demands were met, but since they realized it would not bear any results, the mother of one of the prisoners tells the media outlet.  

According to her, Chechen community members came to the colony, relatives met the officials. However, they were only promised the situation would get better.

— We are afraid the sentence can be unreasonably extended. My son was injured. He cut his wrists. He keeps most information secret. I was told he was badly injured. The Russian guy called me from the phone booth and told me they were still being provoked, weren’t fed and given the opportunity to sleep. So they stopped the hunger strike on April 29. A Chechnya human right activist was going to visit them. The head of the civic supervisory committee in Ulyanovsk region visited them and said they were not bruised or injured. However, the mother of the badly beaten guy communicated with her. The social media advised that her son was significantly injured and hospitalized. At the same time, the civic supervisory committee still claims there are no bruises or injuries and everything is fine. Prisoners request to make this information public, because they lost hope that anything else can affect the situation, the prisoner’s mother says. 

Citing Gulagu.net founder Vladimir Osechkin, the media outlet reports that over 10 people died in the colonies in Ulyanovsk region last year and prisoners went on hunger strikes against harsh conditions. 

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