Gamid Dataev

Resident of the town of Lyantor (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug).

In 2018, the law enforcement agencies of Lyantor conducted "raids" against Muslims. Dataev supported Artem Vatrya in making the facts of violations of Muslims' rights public and filing complaints with the prosecutor's office and the regional Investigative Committee. The law enforcers intimidated them by threatening them with unlawful prosecution if complaints were filed against these illegal actions of law enforcement officials. The law enforcers' threats were apparently carried out in the form of criminal prosecution of Vatrya, Dataev, as well as Behruz Ganiev.

Dataev was charged with forming a terrorist group and planning to bomb social institutions in Lyantor, as well as killing workers at the local mosque, and keeping weapons, explosives and drugs with him.

Dataev was detained on 1 April 2020. The attackers did not say that they were from the police or the FSB, but simply used physical force on him, immobilised him, took his hand luggage, immediately took him out of the entrance hall and, putting him in a car, drove him to another house. They allegedly found drugs and a grenade in his possession. Dataev claims that these objects were placed in his hands to leave his sweat marks. His body was then rubbed with various objects to collect biomaterial. Similarly, according to Dataev, explosive devices were planted by police officers in the bag he was carrying, which was in the uncontrolled possession of the law enforcers for over an hour.

After searching Dataev, he was, according to his account, placed in a vehicle, had a black bag put over his head, and was taken to a garage. There, his shoes and socks were removed and wires were tied to his toes, after which he was electrocuted. A group of officers threatened to kill him, forcing him to confess to being a terrorist, to testify against the other defendants and to confirm the planning of the attack and the killing of the imam.

Dataev was then taken to a police station in Surgut, where regional Center for Combating Extremism officers blackmailed him with threats of long imprisonment and demanded that he plead guilty to everything he was charged with. Dataev was forced to sign an explanatory note and threatened with a return to the torture in the garage.

He was then taken to an investigator, where Dataev refused to give a confession in the presence of an appointed lawyer. Dataev was then beaten and continued to make threats, offering to take the guilty plea in exchange for a shorter prison sentence. The identification then took place and he saw Ganiev and Vatrya, also handcuffed and in an exhausted state.

On 1-2 April, during a search of Dataev's home, prohibited items were seized during a search of his residence, including CDs and flashcards with images and recordings typical of radical Muslim groups, including those belonging to terrorist organisations banned in Russia. Dataev denies possession of these items.

Dataev's statements to law enforcement agencies about the commission of torture and official offences against him have not been verified so far, i.e. for more than 2 years. It is known from the case materials that not even a check has been carried out in relation to Dataev's statements.

In the case materials, there is a video recording confirming that Dataev was placed in a minibus near his house at 11:54 on 1 April 2020, which contradicts the protocol, according to which his personal search began later and in another place.

Dataev was taken into custody, initially on charges of weapons and explosives possession. The detention period expired at midnight on 14 December 2020, but Dataev was unlawfully held until 19:00 on 15 December. After his release, he was detained again without grounds and taken to Nizhnevartovsk and then to Surgut, where documents on administrative offenses were drawn up. He was subsequently accused of organising the activities of a terrorist community and preparing to commit a terrorist act.

The Center for Combating Extremism officers continued to visit Dataev in the pre-trial detention centre, threatening, intimidating and blackmailing him.

On 1 March 2024, Dataev was sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime penal colony.