In Moscow, Uzbek migrants were beaten and humiliated by police officers. Employees of the internal affairs department of “Veshnyaki” district in Moscow accused the migrants of “resisting the police” and fined one thousand rubles ($13).
On January 11 of this year, the Moscow police saw a group of Uzbek migrant workers standing on the side of the road next to a car while passing by a post-patrol car.
Policemen demanded documents from migrants. However, despite the fact that the migrants presented the requested documents, they were told that they would be taken to the police station.
Abdulla from Uzbekistan told the policemen that he, his brother Sardor, brother’s wife Zakhro and her friend were in the car.
“We were not far from our apartment. A post-patrol car passed nearby and immediately returned. I was driving the car and presented the documents. He asked for documents from the women. They replied that the documents were at home and wanted to take them out. But they were pulled out of the car and forcefully put in the police car. At the same time, one of the policemen broke his phone. Then he ordered me to open the luggage. I asked for what reason, he replied: “You are engaged in drugs - I need to check”. I got angry when he twisted my sister's arms and pulled her out of the car. Even when she brought her documents, she was not released,” he said.
Abdulla Mirzaliyev, who saw the illegal actions of the police, told the policemen that he was filming their actions on video.
He said that the police got angry at the migrants, continued to humiliate them and took them to the police station. “They took fingerprints, insulted them, but did not find any fault. Despite the fact that our documents were in order, we were fined 1000 rubles. It turns out that we have been fined for arguing with the police! We filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office and presented our videos. The policeman, who brought us to the department, threatened us with 12 years of deportation,” said Abdulla Mirzaliyev.
The police department of “Veshnyaki” in Moscow refused to comment on the detention and imposition of a fine on Uzbek migrants.
A lawyer Valentina Chupik confirmed the detention of Zakhro and Abdulla and stated that the police had previously attempted to bring Uzbek migrants to criminal responsibility “for resisting the police”.
