Human rights defenders doubt official version about death of Chechen natives detained after terror act at Crocus City Hall

The version of suicide at a police department of Askhab Uspanov, a native of Chechnya, after his detention for an administrative offense looks absurd, human rights defenders emphasize. They point out that Moscow law enforcers repeatedly demonstrated their bias and unlawful actions against people from Chechnya.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Askhab Uspanov was detained after the terror act at the Crocus City Hall concert hall and died several hours later at the police department. According to his mother’s claim, the young man was tortured before his death. Chechen Ombudsman Mansur Soltaev announced that the detention of Askhab Uspanov was not related to the terror act and that law enforcement officials considered his death a suicide. The “Baza” Telegram channel reported that Askhab Uspanov was detained several hours before the terror act and that a police protocol was drawn up against him for petty hooliganism.

The version of suicide sounds implausible, suggests Svetlana Gannushkina*, the chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”*. “Why would the young guy, detained allegedly for petty hooliganism, commit suicide? For such a crime, he faced a fine or a minor punishment. This is absurd,” the human rights defender noted.

“I don’t remember any case where a native of Chechnya detained in Moscow committed suicide,” Svetlana Gannushkina*added.

“To commit suicide, he would have had an appropriate tool, even if we discard the prohibition of Islam. The young man could not have such a tool. In addition, he could not be left alone unattended for several hours,” added an employee of the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence**.

He emphasizes that relatives of Askhab Uspanov have contacted the Chechen Ombudsman, but their appeal is unlikely to help achieve an unbiased investigation into the case.

Georgy Ivanov, a lawyer of the “Team Against Torture” (TaT)***, notes that there were cases in Moscow when the death of a detainee at a police department was caused by both non-violent reasons and occurred as a result of torture.

A mother of Askhab Uspanov told the “Agency”* Telegram channel that her son could not do anything like committing suicide, as he was a Muslim.