Activist from Kazan complains about pressure from law enforcers in Karachay-Cherkessia

Guzel Kasimova, a resident of Kazan, who was arrested in Karachay-Cherkessia for ten days, complained to her defender that she faced pressure and threats after her detention. A pensioner from Stavropol, who arrived to Cherkessk to look for her friend Guzel Kasimova, also reported pressure from the law enforcement bodies.

A lawyer called the women’s detention illegal. “Neither the advocate nor their families were informed about their detention. Three days later ... it became known that a case had been instituted against Guzel Kasimova and a decision had been made to arrest her for ten days ... Guzel Kasimova explained law enforcers had stated that a case would be instituted against her for publicly disseminating knowingly false information that posed a threat to the state. Most importantly, for what? Just because Guzel Kasimova was telling the truth about what was happening in Russia, about the danger of bombing, about the fact that many cities were being bombed, and because she was calling on people to unite in rescue committees,” the advocate noted.

According to the lawyer’s report, the second detainee, Stalina Erlenbach, came to Cherkessk to find her friend Guzel Kasimova, since she had not been in touch. “Instead of explaining where Guzel was, the police detained Stalina herself ... Anyone who wants to do something to save people is simply being pressured by the authorities,” the defender claimed.

“In response to all questions, Guzel Kasimova referred to the article of the Constitution of the Russian Federation that allows not testifying against oneself. That fact greatly angered the law enforcers, and they stated that she had worsened her situation and promised to find a ‘Ukrainian trace’ in her case and imprison her for five years. All night and the other morning, the law enforcers were threatening Guzel Kasimova and trying to get confession from her,” the lawyer stated during the live broadcast on the “Narodnaya Tribuna” (People’s Tribune) YouTube channel.

“Guzel worked as a journalist, and she spoke out in defence of the ecology of Kazan and Tatarstan ... She often wrote about people and their problems, including how people were deprived of their only housing and about violations in courts. Guzel covered topics related to the violation of justice,” said a friend of Guzel Kasimova.