Medical student released; others remain under arrest Timur Aliyev, North Caucasus, March 6 - The student from the Medical Faculty of Grozny State University who was arrested several days ago was released on March 5, said his classmates.
Aslanbek Khanbiyev was jailed for three days and during that time he'd been badly beaten. Apparently he was punished for being related to Magomed Khanbiyev, former Defense Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
His classmates believe he was released thanks to their continuous public protest. For three days about 200 students from the Medical Faculty picketed the building of the Moscow-backed Chechen government in Grozny, waving banners with slogans condemning the arrest.
However, the fate of Aslanbek's detained brother remains unknown. Usam Baisayev of the Russian human rights organization Memorial suspects he may be among other Khanbiyev relatives who were also arrested.
Baisayev said that two Khanbiyevs are being held in the town of Gudermes, while 20 other relatives of Magomed Khanbiyev, including women and the elderly from the Nozhai-Yurtovsky district, are jailed in the village of Benoi.
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The photograph above features students holding banners with slogans "SHAME ON THE GOVERNMENT!", "RETURN OUR STUDENT!", and "STOP LARGE SCALE WILFULNESS". (T) |
