Dagestan: Extrajudicial Execution or Boeviks Elimination?

On August 17, 2010 at 10:05 a.m. in the city of Makhachkala of the Republic of Dagestan in Korkmasova street a fusillade of a white VAZ-21014 car took place. Three young men were in the car.

The car had been being chased by a black Lada Priora and a white Gazel with no number plates. The Gazel blocked the car’s way and stopped. Masked people, allegedly security authorities officers, in black uniform got out of the car. Without warnings and not trying to detain anyone they shot down the UAZ from guns with silencers. When the badly wounded driver got out of the car the siloviks went for them and started beat him with their feet. Then they dragged him in the Gazel and drove off. A man and a woman who accidentally came to be there were also wounded. The cars that were standing nearby were affected as well, a window in a cafe was broken. The dead bodies were taken from the car by the militiamen who arrived later.

The episode of August 17 represents a typical extrajudicial execution by its scheme and details. Even the white Gazel that appears in many similar events in Makhachkala appears here as well.

On the following day, August 18, it was officially announced that the law enforcement authorities officers identified the murdered in Makhachkala. They were a 26-year old Ibragim Ganapiev, born in Verkhniy Dzhengutay of the Buynakskiy district of the Republic of Dagestan, and a 29-year old Renat Shakhbanov.

According to official information, the law enforcement authorities officers tried to stop VAZ-21014 car for inspection in the course of realization of live data. It remains unclear why the official inspection was carried out by officers in a car with no number plates. According to the official version, the VAZ driver did not react at the siloviks’ orders, and firing from submachine arms was opened towards them from the car. The unknown were killed by reciprocal firing. However, the numerous witnesses of the event state that the people in the VAZ did not started firing.

It was also said in the official statement that Ganapiev went to the Chechen Republic before that where he became a follower of extremist religious ideas. The young man participated in fightings as a member of an armed faction of Zaur Avdorkhanov on the Chechen territory. In September 2007 Ganapiev came back to Dagestan, worked as a taxi driver and helped the armed underground activists. He was a member of Ruslan Kazanbiev’s group (“Ghicchy-pirat”) who was murdered in 2008 during armed resistance. Renat Shakhbanov also helped illegal armed groups members. At the same time neither Ibragim Ganapiev nor Renat Shakhbanov was listed in the official wanted criminal list.

During the examination two pneumatic guns with devices for silent shooting remodeled for shooting with live cartridge, three high-explosive shells, two trotyl sabres and two detonators were allegedly found in the car of the murdered. A criminal case on this fact has been initiated with reference to Article 222 (“illegal purchase, transfer, sale, storage, traffic or carrying of arms, its main parts, ammunition, explosive materials and blasting assemblies”) and Article 317 (“violation of life of a law enforcement authority officer”) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In the house where Shakhbanov had been residing a gun produced overseas has been found. Besides, in the course of the investigation two people were detained, a native of Makhachkala, Arslan Magomedov, DOB 1986, and a resident of the capital of the republic, Gadzhimurad Khulataev.

It is unknown what had happened to the third person who had been in the VAZ-21014 car and taken away by security agencies officers.

August 20, 2010