Chechen MIA denies blood feud motive in Murad Amriev's case

Athlete Murad Amriev was put on the wanted list for using a forged passport, and there are no other motives for his prosecution, the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reports. The law enforcers have denied the information about his kidnapping and torture in 2013.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Murad Amriev, the world champion in MMA, was detained in Belarus and handed over to FSB agents. On June 9, a source from the law enforcement agencies informed the "Caucasian Knot" that Murad Amriev was placed to a temporary detention facility of the Staropromyslovsky ROVD (District Interior Division) in Grozny. In the evening of June 9, Igor Kalyapin, the leader of the "Committee for the Prevention of Torture", announced the release of the athlete.

Today, the pre-trial restriction measure has been elected against Murad Amriev in the form of recognizance not to leave. Last night, he left the building of the Staropromyslovsky ROVD and went home.

Chechen MIA's officials categorically deny a motive of blood feud in the proceedings against Murad Amriev.

"By efforts of a number of mass media, a usual criminal case has become most politicized. Murad Amriev is a suspect in a criminal case on the use of a forged document. That is why he was put on the federal wanted list. There is no motive for blood feud or persecution for other reasons in the case," an officer of the Chechen police told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"The complaint about the alleged kidnapping and torture used against him in 2013 was also not confirmed. An official check was carried out on the complaint. At the same time, the Chechen MIA filed a lawsuit to protect its honour and dignity, and the court obliged Murad Amriev to refute the report about torture, but that was never done," the source told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.