02 October 2023, 19:19
Journalists hold solo pickets in Makhachkala
Journalists Magomed Magomedov and Idris Yusupov have held solo pickets in Makhachkala, demanding the release of Abdulmumin Gadjiev and an end to the persecution of historian Khadjimurad Donogo.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Gadjiev's colleagues treat his criminal case as political persecution and hold weekly solo pickets in his support. On September 25, Yusupov's picket attracted the attention of passers-by and drivers.
Abdulmumin Gadjiev, an editor of the "Chernovik" (Draft) outlet, Abubakar Rizvanov, the head of the "Ansar" Charitable Fund, and Kemal Tambiev, an activist, have been under arrest since June 2019 on charges of financing terrorism. On September 12, the court sentenced Gadjiev to 17 years, Rizvanov to 18 years, and Tambiev to 17.5 years of freedom deprivation.
The first picket with the poster "Freedom for Abdulmumin Gadjiev" was held by Magomed Magomedov. Passers-by reacted to the picket; and some drivers passing by responded with long car horns.
The second picket was held by Idris Yusupov. He came out with a poster "I/We are Khadjimurad Donogo. We are against the persecution of the scientist!"
Law enforcers did not interfere with the pickets.
Khadjimurad Donogo, a former deputy director of the National Museum of Dagestan, reported that during a search of his home on November 30, 2022, law enforcers took away his books, flash drives, a phone and a computer with valuable historical materials. After the search, law enforcers asked about his participation in scientific conferences in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Mr Donogo suggested that the search could have been conducted after a denunciation about his publications. According to his version, due to the seizure of his materials, his scientific work is at risk.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 2, 2023 at 02:37 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: СK correspondent