16 January 2021, 11:27
Rights defenders urge ECtHR to protect Dagestani woman from domestic violence
An urgent request has been sent to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) with a request to oblige Russian authorities to ensure security of the safety of Gulli Kazanbieva, a resident of Dagestan, after her ex-husband convicted of beating her up will be back at large, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has informed.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Kazanbieva's ex-husband had severely beaten her up even after the divorce, but investigators had qualified his domestic violence under a too lenient article. Kazanbieva's advocates state that she fears for her life.
The problem of domestic violence is topical for Dagestan, but many local residents wouldn't talk about it, so as not to "disgrace the republic." About half of the victims of violence return to their husbands, said employees of crisis centres.
Kurbanov, her ex-husband, is due to be released in April, but it is likely that his term will be shortened, and he will be released on January 18.
The lawyers of the HRC "Memorial", Marina Agaltsova and Tamilla Imanova, together with their colleagues from the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC), have asked the ECtHR to oblige Russian authorities to provide Gulli Kazanbieva with state protection and prohibit her ex-husband from approaching her.
Earlier, human rights defenders treated the situation with women's rights in Northern Caucasus as critical. Traditions and customs in most regions of Northern Caucasus are conducive to violence against women in families.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 15, 2021 at 11:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
