“The fact that you are at liberty is our shortcoming.” This was the response received by a resident of Ingushetia after submitting a complaint to the Investigative Committee.

Ibragim Tochiev, a resident of Ingushetia, received a response to his complaint about an investigator’s inaction that quoted a remark attributed to Felix Dzerzhinsky. This was reported by ‘Ostorozhno Novosti’ (‘Caution, News’) citing the ‘Team Against Torture’ (KPP).

“The fact that you are at liberty is not your achievement, but our shortcoming.”
Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky

Regards, the Investigative Department for the city of Malgobek of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Ingushetia!,” the letter states.

Human rights defenders do not know who exactly sent this letter.

Tochiev submitted his complaint to the Investigative Committee after his detention. According to him, at the end of June, two armed men in camouflage broke into his home, tied his hands with plastic cable ties, and struck him several times on the head and body on the way to a service vehicle. Ibragim’s brother, Tamerlan, was detained with him.

At the station, the brothers were told their detention was related to a 2024 criminal case of theft and arson in which Tamerlan was suspected. The Tochievs themselves believe that the security forces’ interest is connected to a land dispute with the local administration and their complaints against police department staff. After the incident, Ibragim submitted a statement alleging abuse of power (Art. 286 of the Criminal Code), but his request to open a criminal case was denied.

Tochiev appealed against the investigator’s inaction, noting that the necessary checks had not been carried out. In response, he received the letter with Dzerzhinsky’s quote.