Resident of Kabardino-Balkaria complains about torture and fabrication of criminal case

Andzor Kudaev, an entrepreneur from Kabardino-Balkaria, stated that he was subjected to torture and threats and was forced to confess to possessing weapons illegally and aiding and abetting a terrorist organization, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”* reports today.

According to Andzor Kudaev, on August 5, 2021, in Nalchik, he was detained by law enforcers near his car. During a search of the car, the law enforcers found a pistol. Andzor Kudaev said that it did not belong to him and refused to put his signature on the package with the pistol the law enforcers had found.

Then the law enforcers brought Andzor Kudaev to “some building” and took him to a room, where “they immediately threw him to the floor.” “They tied his legs and arms, attached metal pins to his fingers, and began to torture him with electric current,” the human rights defenders reported.

According to Andzor Kudaev, he was required to confess that the pistol belonged to him. “Unable to withstand the torture, he agreed to ‘confess’ that he had found the pistol somewhere. After that, the law enforcers told him to confess to aiding and abetting militants. When the man refused, they threatened to connect the wires to his genitals and continue to run current and then to rape him. When the law enforcers began to pull off his trousers, Andzor Kudaev agreed to sign whatever they wanted. He was warned that if he retracted his confession in future, he would be tortured again, ‘some illegal items’ would be thrown into the houses of his 83-year-old mother and his wife and that ‘something bad might happen to his daughters who go to kindergarten’,” the human rights defenders reported in their statement.

“Andzor Kudaev signed a protocol with confession, as he was afraid for himself and his family members,” the Human Rights Centre reported. The human rights defenders also added that Andzor Kudaev was released at about midnight.

On August 6, Andzor Kudaev appealed to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF). In his complaint, the man described in detail what had happened to him and requested investigators to institute criminal proceedings against the law enforcers, who had planted the pistol to him and tortured him. Andzor Kudaev also requested the ICRF to ensure the safety of his family members.

* The organization is included by the Ministry of Justice of Russia in the register of NPOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 14, 2021 at 01:30 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.