Fear for safety following threats of torture

Allegations of torture and ill-treatment/ Lack of proper investigation/ Threats and intimidation/ Fear for safety

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Russian Federation.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source and by Antenna International, a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the threats of torture and intimidation against Mr. Renat Amirov (born in 1982) by Federal Security Service (FSB) officers, in Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan. Mr. Renat Amirov was allegedly subjected to torture and ill-treatment in May 2008 by the same officers.

According to the information received, on 10 December 2008 at around 12:30pm, Mr. Renat Amirov was taken to the premises of the Republic of Tatarstan FSB branch, where he was reportedly interrogated and intimidated for several hours by two FSB officers identified as R. Safin and Samat, as well as by a police captain identified as R. Ismailov.

According to the same information, Mr. Renat Amirov was threatened with criminal prosecution and imprisonment in case he refused to become their informer. He was reportedly shown a picture of his flat indicating that he was already under surveillance. The FSB officers also referred to the complaint he had lodged with regard to acts of torture he was allegedly subjected to in May 2008 by Mr. R. Safin and Mr. Ismailov.

After Mr. Renat Amirov refused to become their informer, the said officers reportedly threatened him to send him by back to the Department for Fighting Organised Crime (UBOP) where he would “think quicker” (see context and antecedent). At around 8:00pm on the same day, he was released but was reportedly told to think over the offer and not to try to run away as they would catch him whatever.

Context and Antecedent

According to the information received, Mr. Renat Amirov and his wife Dina were reportedly detained on 16 May 2008 in relation to a criminal case on the banned "Hizb ut-Tahrir" organisation. While Ms. Dina Amirov was taken to FSB premises, Mr. Renat Amirov was taken to UBOP. Both were kept for a day and half. Mr. Renat Amirov was reportedly interrogated by Mr. R. Safin and Mr. Ismailov on his religious views and attitude towards the "Hizb ut-Tahrir". While Mr. Renat Amirov reportedly denied any wrongdoing, he was threatened with imprisonment should he not provide information on other members.

After being examined by a doctor, Mr. Renat Amirov was taken back to the UBOP premises where he was allegedly tortured and ill-treated. The acts reportedly included being handcuffed and dangled headfirst, suffocation by placing a bag over his head as well as by introducing smoke into the tube of a gasmask. Mr. Renat Amirov reportedly lost consciousness for some time. During the acts of torture, he was reportedly told "If you're silent I'll beat harder. You realize that you won't hold out through this night, I'll break you down. And then a new shift will arise, having had enough sleep and will get to work on you with new energy, and we'll go home to sleep. Understand? Do what you're told."

On the following morning, Mr. Renat Amirov was reportedly taken to another room and allowed to sleep for some time sitting at the table. Then, the intimidation and threats reportedly continued in view to forcing him to become their informer. Mr. Renat Amirov was later released after Mr. Ismailov said that they would see each other again and after having been forced to write a statement mentioning that after the interrogation on 16 May 2008 in the quality of a witness, he had returned home and had voluntary participated in a second interrogation on the next day. It also reportedly stated that he had been taken to a medical examination.

On 9 July 2008, Mr. Renat Amirov reportedly lodged a complaint with the Investigatory Committee of the Prosecutor’s office of the Republic of Tatarstan, which was dismissed on 11 July 2008 reportedly because of lack of facts.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Renat Amirov, in particular following the allegations of torture and ill-treatment he was subjected to in May 2008 and the lack of an effective investigation into these allegations. OMCT recalls that the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) both prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tatarstan urging them to:

1. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Renat Amirov as well of his wife Dina;
2. Order a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into these events, in particular the allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Mr. Renat Amirov, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
3. Guarantee that adequate reparation is granted to the victim;
4. Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Mr. Mintimer Shaimiev, Fax: +7 (843) 2927088, e-mail: aprt@kremlin.kazan.ru;
• Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, Kremlin, Moscow, Russia, Faxes:+ 7 495 206 5173 / 230 2408, Email: president@gov.ru;
• Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, Yuri Chayka, 125993, Moskva K-31, Ul. B. Dimitrovka, d 15a, Russian Federation, Fax: + 7 (495)692-17-25;
• Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Ella Pamfilova, 103132 g. Moskva, Staraya ploshchad, d 8/5,pod 3, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 495 20 64 855;
• Vladimir Lukin, Russian Federal Ombudsman for Human Rights, Fax: +7 495 207-74-70;
• Minister of Internal Affairs, Rashid Nurgaliev, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 117049 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Rossiia, 117049, Moskva, Fax: + 7 495 237 49 25;
• Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Telegram: Fax:+ 7 495 230 21 30;
• Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations in Geneva Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, e-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 734 40 44;

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of the Russian Federation in your respective countries.

Geneva, 7 January 2009

Kindly inform OMCT of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.