Zaira Pirova, who ran away from home, returns to her family in Dagestan

Zaira Pirova has returned from Georgia to Dagestan and stays with her family now, human rights defenders report. They express their hope that the girl’s relatives will keep their promises to her.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Zaira Pirova left for Georgia, as she was being forced to marriage and subjected to pressure in her family. However, relatives are trying to find the girl. A Zaira’s father claims that his daughter has been kidnapped. Zaira contacted her relatives, but could not convince them that she left home voluntarily. The girl said that she was missing her family. On January 8, the girl’s father gave her two days to think over the situation and promised that if she returned, she would be given “special treatment.” Zaira has decided to return home, saying that she wanted to “establish trusting relationships” with her family.

“Judging by the video and photos from Zaira’s relatives, she is at home and is fine,” the “SK SOS Crisis Group”* reported on its Telegram channel.

The human rights defenders have noted that they support the Zaira Pirova’s decision to return to Dagestan.

At the same time, David Isteyev*, the director of the human rights organization, has emphasized that they still have concerns for the Zaira’s safety, given the threats received by the girl’s friends, her lawyer, and the human rights organization itself. “We fear that Zaira may be forced to persecute human rights defenders ... I really hope that the girl’s father, who guaranteed her safety and freedom of movement, will fulfil everything he promised her,” the human rights defender stated in the video.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.