Russian Federation: Ibragim Gazdiev

On 8 August 2007, 29-year-old Ibragim Gazdiev was reportedly abducted by armed men in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia. He has not been seen since, and his family believe that he is - or was - held incommunicado. The authorities deny that they are holding him. The reason for his disappearance is unknown.

Ibragim's father reported his son's disappearance the same day and a criminal investigation was opened. However, the investigation has been repeatedly suspended on the grounds of 'failing to establish a suspect'.

Amnesty fears that Ibragim Gazdiev is in danger of being tortured or killed in secret or incommunicado detention. There is also concern for the safety of Ibragim's family who face harassment for pursuing justice. Send an appeal to the Russian authorities now

UPDATE: September 2010
Appealing against the November 2009 suspension of the investigation into his son's disappearance, Mukhmed Gazdiev argued that the investigating authorities are intentionally ignoring facts and not doing everything possible to find and prosecute those responsible for abducting Ibragim. In April 2010 the Supreme Court of Ingushetia ruled that the investigation should be continued. However, the investigation was again suspended on 15 September.

Background information

According to a witness, at 12.54pm on 8 August 2007, Ibragim Gazdiev was abducted in Karabulak, in the republic of Ingushetia in the North Caucasus. He was driving his brother’s car when armed men of Russian appearance surrounded him, forced him into another car and drove him away. His brother’s car is also missing. He is believed to have been detained by members of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), and held in Ingushetia or in a neighbouring North Caucasus republic.

Ibragim Gazdiev’s father, Mukhmed Gazdiev, reported his son’s disappearance to the Prosecutor’s Office the same day, and a criminal investigation was opened. The President of Ingushetia, Murat Ziazikov, reportedly ordered that the case be solved as soon as possible. But there has been little progress.
The reason for Ibragim Gazdiev’s disappearance is unknown, but a search had been carried out at the family home on 30 April 2007. His father told Amnesty International that three or four years ago Ibragim Gazdiev had been detained for a day before being released without charge. Mukhmed Gazdiev thinks that because of that incident his son’s name might have been put on police and security forces’ databases. There have been no other incidents suggesting Ibragim Gazdiev was in trouble with the authorities.

If Ibragim Gazdiev was indeed abducted by a state security agency which is refusing to admit it is holding him or tell his family where he is, then he is a victim of enforced disappearance.

The investigation into Ibragim’s disappearance was reopened in 2009. A family member believes that this is due to all the great international support that they are receiving. He mentioned that the investigator showed him a huge sack of letters with demands to continue the investigation.

On 8 August 2007, 29-year-old Ibragim Gazdiev was reportedly abducted by armed men in the North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia. He has not been seen since, and his family believe that he is - or was - held incommunicado. The authorities deny that they are holding him. The reason for his disappearance is unknown.

Ibragim's father reported his son's disappearance the same day and a criminal investigation was opened. However, the investigation has been repeatedly suspended on the grounds of 'failing to establish a suspect'.

Amnesty fears that Ibragim Gazdiev is in danger of being tortured or killed in secret or incommunicado detention. There is also concern for the safety of Ibragim's family who face harassment for pursuing justice. Send an appeal to the Russian authorities now

UPDATE: September 2010
Appealing against the November 2009 suspension of the investigation into his son's disappearance, Mukhmed Gazdiev argued that the investigating authorities are intentionally ignoring facts and not doing everything possible to find and prosecute those responsible for abducting Ibragim. In April 2010 the Supreme Court of Ingushetia ruled that the investigation should be continued. However, the investigation was again suspended on 15 September.

Please send the appeal letter below to the Russian authorities to ensure that the investigation into Ibragim Gazdiev’s disappearance progresses

TIME SAVERS  If you'd like to get together with some friends and send appeal letters as a group we've prepared some time savers for you. You can download address labels for this case (Word - for L7163 size label) to save you doing them all by hand.