28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

Human rights violations including enforced disappearances, abductions, arbitrary detention, torture, extrajudicial executions reported in the Republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and North Ossetia ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23503]

"Federal and local law enforcement agencies operating in the region responded in an arbitrary and unlawful fashion to violent attacks by armed groups.

Serious human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and abductions, arbitrary detention, torture including in unofficial places of detention, and extrajudicial executions, were reported in the Republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and North Ossetia.

People were convicted of crimes in cases where forced "confessions" formed part of the evidence against them.

People mounted demonstrations in Ingushetia and Dagestan against disappearances and other arbitrary actions by law enforcement agencies.

A rally against disappearances was banned in Chechnya's capital, Grozny, in October.

Human rights abuses, including abductions, were reportedly committed by armed groups against civilians in the region."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Civilian casualties in Dagestan in 2007 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22600]

"In April a woman was wounded during an assault on a house in Untsukulskiy district, Dagestan. On May 20 in Khasavyurt, Dagestan, two bystanders, an adult and child, were killed by militia fire. On May 22 militia officers fired at a suspect in the middle of a crowded square in the town of Kaspiysk, Dagestan; three bystanders were wounded."

Document(s): Open document

11.10.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Despite killing of prominent Islamic militant Rappani Khalilov on 17 September 2007, politicians and observers say violence in Dagestan is unlikely to abate soon ("Dagestan Militant’s Death “No Breakthrough”") [ID 21373]

"Despite the killing of the most prominent Islamic militant in Dagestan, politicians and observers say violence in the republic is unlikely to abate soon. “The destructive forces at work in our republic are not abandoning their attempts to destabilise the socio-political situation in the republic and in the North Caucasus as a whole on the eve of the elections to the [Russian] State Duma,” Dagestani president Mukhu Aliev told a government meeting on October 1. Aliev described the killing of Rappani Khalilov on September 17, in a “special operation” carried out by security forces, as a “real blow against the extremist underground” while Russian federal agencies have said the operation was their most successful in the North Caucasus this year. (...)
However, most analysts say that the militant fighters in Dagestan are too diverse and autonomous to be seriously damaged by the death of one man, however prominent. While political violence in Chechnya has declined in the last couple of years, it has remained constant in the North Caucasus’ largest region, Dagestan, to the east, and is escalating in Ingushetia to the west. (...)
“The situation in Dagestan won’t change for the better,” agreed Ali Aliev, a political analyst. “That is just an illusion which the law-enforcement agencies are trying to convince us of after the killing of the latest leader of the fighters.” “Partisan warfare is going to continue endlessly in the North Caucasus, and one of the main reasons for that is the corruption and clan mentality of the leading agencies in the country, who encourage all this.” Khalilov was killed in the central Dagestani town of Kizilyurt. This IWPR correspondent saw around 100 Russian special forces troops and heavy armour being used in the operation. The troops surrounded a residential part of the town and evacuated many of the locals, while others were told not to venture out of doors. A loudspeaker was used to order the militants to give themselves up, but they opened fire instead. The stand-off continued for around 24 hours, during which the house the fighters were hiding in was bombarded. Eventually, two bodies were pulled from its ruins, one of them Khalilov’s, the other that of his second-in-command Nabi Nabiev, known as Abdurahman. One of the besieging troops was killed and ten were wounded. Although DNA tests will be needed to confirm that the dead man was indeed Khalilov, the security forces say they have no doubt he was killed in the operation."

Document(s): Open document

13.08.2007 - Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (formerly Global IDP Project)

Chechen rebels have been gradually establishing themselves in other North Caucasus republics, mainly Ingushetia and Dagestan; abductions and disappearances continue in Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Dagestan ("Government efforts help only some IDPs rebuild their lives; A profile of the internal displacement situation") [ID 21200]

"The security situation in other North Caucasus republics remains volatile. As government forces have forced Chechen rebels out of Chechnya, the rebels have been gradually establishing themselves in other North Caucasus republics, mainly Ingushetia and Dagestan. The result has been an increase in the number of armed confrontations in the North Caucasus outside Chechnya (Research Centre for East European Studies / Center for Security Studies, 5 June 2007; The Moscow Times, 28 August 2006; RFE / RL, 25 August 2006). Abductions and disappearances continue in Ingushetia, North Ossetia and Dagestan, reportedly mainly by government forces trying to collect information about the rebels’ plans (CoE, 25 January 2006; Kavkazski Uzel, 16 July 2007 and 18 July 2007; Memorial, 1 June 2007; Jamestown Foundation, 1 August 2007). Shootings and bombings by unknown parties also continue (Vesti, 19 July 2007; Swisspeace, 28 May 2007). The situation in Ingushetia became especially tense in mid-2007 as federal forces launched a major security sweep in response to a series of deadly attacks on government targets, and Ingushetia became the North Caucasus republic with the highest per-capita rate of abductions (Memorial, 1 June 2007; RFE / RL 31 July 2007)."

Document(s): Open document

11.02.2007 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

2 soldiers killed and 6 wounded in a bombing near Buinaksk ("Daghestan Blast Kills Russian Soldiers") [ID 18538]

Document(s): Open document

07.02.2007 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Dagestan's interior minister Magomedtagirov escaped assassination attempt; officials blame militant “revenge” for attack, human rights activists cite abuses and torture by police, since Magomedtagirov took up the job ("Dagestan: Minister Escapes Assassination Attempt") [ID 18582]

"In a press conference after the incident, Magomedtagirov said that he saw the attack as a direct attempt to intimidate both himself and the president of Dagestan, Mukhu Aliev, who took office in February 2006.“Not everyone likes what the law enforcement organs of the republic are doing,” he said. “Many people don’t like the forceful work of the first president of Dagestan and the decisions he is making that are supported by the interior ministry.“The law enforcement organs should do everything in their power to impose order and fight corruption and that includes inside the power structures.”

The minister has stepped up the number of operations against Islamic militants in the last few months. He is a prominent hate figure on extremist Islamist websites. Ali Temirbekov, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, told IWPR that the most likely motive for the attack was “revenge of illegal armed bandit groups for the interruption of their activity”.Vyacheslav Izmailov, a journalist for Novaya Gazeta who specialises in the North Caucasus, agreed, calling the attack an act of “ordinary revenge for special operations carried out in Dagestan”. However, human rights activists warn that revenge for police brutality is also a likely motive for the attacks.

“Since Magomedtagirov took up the job of interior minister many illegal and immoral methods of investigation and interrogation have been used,” said Isalmagomed Nabiev, an expert with the organisation For Human Rights. “Under torture people have confessed to crimes which they had nothing to do with. And as we know evil begets evil.”Nabiev cited a recent rally in Makhachkala by relatives of Nadir Magomedov, who died in a police detention cell. The protesters accused the minister of covering up the murder of their loved one. No criminal case has been opened for the death and there has been no court verdict on the cause. Officials have not given an explanation for his death. Another rally in late December protesting against police injustice was broken up by police. The protesters complained that a young man named Umar Ibnukhajirov had been abducted by masked armed men, whom they believed were acting on the orders of the police. Ibnukhajirov is still in detention in Makhachkala. Other observers say the assassination attempt may be linked to an internal power struggle in Dagestan. “Magomedtagirov may have crossed one of the ruling clans of the republic,” said a security officer, who preferred to remain anonymous. Parliamentary elections are due to take place in Dagestan on March 11 and the president has said more than once that he is relying on the interior ministry to keep order in the republic."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Dagestan is Caucasian republic with most interethnical conflicts; violent acts in Dagestan now exceed those in Chechnya; most of attacks are carried out by Chechen separatists who are connected to the Djamaat (compact militant Islamic communities) ("Nordkaukasus; Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien sowie in Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkarien, Inguschetien und Nordossetien") [ID 18699]

"Dagestan ist die Kaukasusrepublik mit den meisten interethnischen Konflikten. Dazu kommen gravierende soziale und ökonomische Probleme. Die Arbeitslosigkeit beispielsweise liegt bei über 30 Prozent. Die Ausbreitung der bewaffneten Auseinandersetzungen über die tschetschenischen Grenzen hinaus hat – was vor diesem Hintergrund verständlich ist – vor allem in Richtung Dagestan statt gefunden. Mittlerweile weist Dagestan mehr Gewaltakte auf als Tschetschenien. Hinter den meisten Anschlägen stecken tschetschenische Separatisten, zusammen mit lokalen Handlangern. Diese sind häufig Mitglieder der so genannten Dschamaats – in sich geschlossener militanter islamischer Gemeinden, die der wahhabitischen Glaubensrichtung angehören. Diese extremistischen Organisationen sind mit dem tschetschenischen Untergrund verbunden und werden von diesem auch koordiniert. Allein 2005 wurden in Dagestan 113 Anschläge verübt, bei denen 59 Polizisten, Militärangehörige und Beamte getötet sowie 112 verwundet wurden. Ausserdem starben dabei 12 Zivilpersonen; 47 weitere wurden verletzt."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Several zones of conflict in North Caucasus; about 50 people die in the region every month, abductions happen on daily basis; concerns that beside Dagestan other republics could increasingly become scenes of terrorist attacks; unlike in Chechnya, Moscow concentrates on strong presence of federal forces in the other republics of North Caucasus, which could lead to strengthening of islamist rebels ("Nordkaukasus; Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien sowie in Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkarien, Inguschetien und Nordossetien") [ID 18715]

"Der Blick auf die gesamte Region zeigt, dass Tschetschenien eine Schnittstelle zwischen den beschriebenen Konfliktzonen des Nordkaukasus und denjenigen des Südkaukaus (Georgien, Aserbaidschan etc.) ist. Zwar hat Russlands Präsident Putin den Krieg in Tschetschenien bereits vor Jahren für beendet erklärt, doch die Kampfhandlungen dehnen sich schleichend aus. Insgesamt sterben im Krieg im Nordkaukasus laut der Anti-Kriegschronik von Memorial rund 50 Menschen pro Monat, täglich werden Menschen entführt. Nähe und Vernetzung der Konfliktzonen erleichtern diese Ausdehnung. Die jüngere Entwicklung gibt gar Anlass zur Sorge, dass neben Dagestan auch die andern nationalen Republiken des Nordkaukasus immer öfter zum Schauplatz einer Eskalationsspirale von Terroranschlägen radikaler Separatisten und russländischer Spezialeinheiten werden. Im Unterschied zu Tschetschenien, wo Moskau die Verantwortung zunehmend lokalen Strukturen überträgt, setzt es im übrigen Nordkaukasus auf mehr zentralistische Kontrolle und stärkere Militärpräsenz. Beides ist problematisch: Russlands Rückzug aus Tschetschenien birgt die Gefahr eines innertschetschenischen Konflikts. Moskaus Auftreten als Polizeimacht in den anderen Republiken des Nordkaukasus scheint das heikle Gleichgewicht in der Region aus dem Lot zu bringen und eine Stärkung islamistischer Rebellengruppen zu fördern."

Document(s): Open document

03.08.2006 - Source: Memorial Human Rights Center

The practice of “disappearing” people has spread into the territories adjacent to Chechnya ("On the Situation of Residents of Chechnya in the Russian Federation (July 2005-July 2006)") [ID 18867]

"Following the attack of militants on Nazran and Karabulak in summer 2004, the seizure of school in Beslan in September 2004, and the developments in Nalchik on October 13-14, 2005, the practice of “disappearing” people started to spread into the territories adjacent to Chechnya – first to Ingushetia and then to North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan."

Document(s): Russian-language report
English-language report

25.06.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

North Ossetia, Daghestan: 2 police officers injured in bomb explosions ("Explosions Reported In Daghestan, North Ossetia") [ID 15404]

Document(s): Open document

11.01.2006 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Dagestan: Military operation against alleged Islamic militants in mountains ends with no proof of any Islamistic militants killed or captured; Russian forces suffered number of casualities ("Dagestan Assault Fails to Deliver") [#41656],  [ID 11875]

Document(s): Open document

07.11.2005 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Human rights situation in neighbour republics of Chechnya is worsening because of the expansion of the activities of Chechen security forces ("Tschetschenien: Update: Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien, Inguschetien, Dagestan und anderen Teilen der Russischen Föderation") [#38928],  [ID 11876]

"“Nicht nur die Widerstandskämpfer tragen den bewaffneten Konflikt in letzter Zeit vermehrt in die Nachbarrepubliken Tschetscheniens, auch die tschetschenischen Sicherheitskräfte weiten ihre Aktivitäten offenbar aus. Ramzan Kadyrov hat bereits offen erklärt, er wolle auch in Dagestan «für Ordnung sorgen». Gemäss Cecenskoe obšcestvo sind tschetschenische Einheiten seit Beginn dieses Jahres damit aktiv beschäftigt. Dabei ist es auch bereits zu offenen Konflikten mit den dagestanischen Sicherheitskräften gekommen. Moskau stützt offenbar die tschetschenischen Bemühungen, denn seit Oktober 2004 ist Ramzan Kadyrow u.a. Berater Dmitri Kosaks und zuständig für dessen Zusammenarbeit mit den lokalen Sicherheitskräften.94 In An-betracht all dieser Tatsachen ist es kaum verwunderlich, dass sich die Menschenrechtslage auch in den Nachbarrepubliken Tschetscheniens kontinuierlich verschlechtert. Auch in Dagestan und Inguschetien sind Menschenrechts-AktivistInnen, aber auch seriöse Gesetzeshüter zunehmend gefährdet.95
Sowohl in Dagestan als auch in Inguschetien haben bereits vor Ausbruch des Tschetschenien-Krieges TschetschenInnen gelebt. Während sie in Inguschetien 2002 mit rund 20 Prozent die zweit grösste Volksgruppe nach den Inguschen stellen, sind die Tschetschenen Dagestans, die Akkiner, mit 3.4 Prozent der Bevölkerung eine kleine Minderheit.96 Die TschetschenInnen, die in Dagestan oder in Inguschetien aufhalten, leiden unter der aktuellen Situation doppelt: Wie alle andern Einwohner sind sie von der prekären politischen und wirtschaftlichen Lage betroffen. Zudem gehen auch in Dagestan die Sicherheitskräfte immer schärfer gegen TschetschenInnen vor. Mit jedem Anschlag verschärfen sich die Spannungen zwischen den andern Bevölkerungsgruppen und den TschetschenInnen. Insbesondere aus Inguschetien ist bekannt, dass die dortige tschetschenische und inguschische Bevölkerung die Flüchtlinge aus Tschetschenien anfangs sehr gastfreundlich aufgenommen hat. Mit der Verschärfung der Situation sind jedoch die Ressentiments gegenüber den langjährigen «Gästen» aus der Nachbarrepublik gewachsen."

Document(s): Open document

07.11.2005 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Security situation in Ingushetia and Dagestan is becoming more similar to situation in Chechnya ("Tschetschenien: Update: Entwicklungen in Tschetschenien, Inguschetien, Dagestan und anderen Teilen der Russischen Föderation") [#38928],  [ID 11877]

"Die Situation in den Nachbarrepubliken Inguschetien und Dagestan hat sich derjenigen in Tschetschenien in den vergangenen Monaten immer stärker angeglichen. Im Juni 2004 haben Widerstandskämpfer wie erwähnt für kurze Zeit die Macht in Inguschetien übernommen. Bei diesem Überfall wurden die Arsenale des inguschetischen
Innenministeriums geplündert und Waffen geraubt, die offensichtlich später in Beslan eingesetzt wurden. Obwohl die staatlichen Sicherheitsorgane nach jenem dreisten Überfall erheblich verstärkt wurden, halten die Angriffe in Inguschetien an. Dagestan ist in den vergangenen Monaten Schauplatz einer Serie von Mordanschlägen – rund 70 allein zwischen Januar und Juli dieses Jahres86 – auf führende Sicherheitsbeamte und andere Exponenten der Staatsgewalt gewesen. Im Rahmen einer gross angelegten Fahndungsaktion im Januar 2005 kam es in der ganzen Republik zu mehreren hundert Festnahmen, wobei allerdings die Grenze zwischen Terroristen und gewöhnlichen Kriminellen zunehmend verwischt wurde.87 Die lokale Mafia, Extremisten und die russischen Sicherheitskräfte bekämpfen sich immer offener. Der Kreml hat auf diese Eskalation bisher hauptsächlich mit der Aufstockung seiner Truppen geantwortet.88"

Document(s): Open document

16.09.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: Russian police officer and Chechen killed in shoot-out near Kizilyurt ("Russian Police Officer Killed In Daghestan Shoot-Out") [#36705],  [ID 11878]

Document(s): Open document

13.09.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: Police officer killed in shoot-out in Buinaksk ("Police Officer Killed In Daghestan Shoot-Out") [#36579],  [ID 11879]

Document(s): Open document

02.09.2005 - Source: BBC News

Dagestan region: At least 3 people killed and 11 injured in an explosion outside a military barracks in Makhachkala ("Three dead in Russian explosion") [#36155],  [ID 11880]

Document(s): Open document

04.08.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: Bomb exploded outside electric-power substation near Khasavyurt ("Bomb Hits Daghestan Power Station") [#34862],  [ID 11881]

Document(s): Open document

13.07.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: Report on current crisis in the region and background of recent months bomb attacks and political killings ("Daghestan: Anatomy Of A Permanent Crisis") [#34004],  [ID 11882]

Document(s): Open document

07.07.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: Railroad section outside Makhachkala hit by explosion ("Explosion Hits Railroad In Daghestan") [#33736],  [ID 11883]

Document(s): Open document

03.07.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

Dagestan: 11 Russian Interior Ministry soldiers killed and over 20 injured by blast in front of spa in Makhachkala ("Chechnya: The week in brief: 27 Jun - 3 Jul 2005 (PW)") [#33611],  [ID 11884]

Document(s): Open document

01.07.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

10 killed in bomb blast in Mackhachkala ("10 Killed In Daghestan Blast") [#33597],  [ID 11885]

Document(s): Open document

19.01.2005 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Dagestan: at least 5 Islamic militants and 3 policemen killed when security forces launched operation against Islamic militants in Kaspiisk and Makhachkala ("Battle Hits Dagestan Capital") [#28370],  [ID 11886]

Document(s): Open document

17.01.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Daghestan: 4 gunmen and police officer killed in firefight with Russian security forces outside capital Makhachkala ("Four Bodies Recovered After Daghestan Shoot-Out") [#28348],  [ID 11887]

Document(s): Open document

22.07.2004 - Source: BBC News

Dagestan: At least 8 people injured in 2 explosions at the Omon paramilitary police base south of Makhachkala ("Blasts rock base in south Russia") [#24194],  [ID 11888]

"Two explosions have rocked a paramilitary police base in Russia's North Caucasus region close to the war-torn province of Chechnya.

The blasts wounded at least eight people including one woman at the Omon base south of Makhachkala, capital of the Dagestan region, police said."

Document(s): Open document

18.12.2003 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Dagestan: Russian security forces continued to pursue a group of fighters, after the militants had killed a unit of local border guards ("Dagestan Mountain Fighters on The Run") [#18320],  [ID 11889]

Document(s): Open document

16.12.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

Republic of Dagestan: up to a dozen people abducted by Chechen rebels that killed nine Russian border guards, released ("Chechen rebels on run from Russian troops after releasing hostages (AFP)") [#18218],  [ID 11890]

Document(s): Open document