On 19 October 2026, the State Council of Tatarstan approved the appointment of Colonel General Alexander Lapin as deputy prime minister of the republic. Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov signed the appointment decree the same day. Lapin had previously been appointed acting deputy prime minister on 29 September 2026.
A native of Dagestan, Ramazan Gadzhiev, who is being held in colony No. 1 in Mordovia, spoke about torture and abuse by the administration. Together with other prisoners, he went on a hunger strike and opened his veins.
According to Hajiyev, he is regularly taken out of his cell and beaten. There is no toilet or water in the cell itself. During the week, the man is not taken to the toilet, they are not allowed to walk, they spray him with pepper spray. In addition, the colony employees did not allow prayers to be performed and confiscated prayer rugs.
Ramazan Hajiyev, referring to the lawyer Aza Aliyeva, asks to be transferred to a correctional facility in Adygea. In case of death, he asks that the staff of the colony be blamed for this.