UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has spoken out against the three police officers suspected in the murder of Sulli Yunusilau, the father of MMA fighter Magomed Yunusilau.
According to a report from tass.ru, the three suspects violently attacked the 46-year-old man due to “personal animosity.” Yunusilau was struck in the head repeatedly before being abandoned at the scene of the crime. The man was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a brain herniation and cerebral edema.
According to reports, the incident took place when the police officers were drinking while off duty. They spotted Yunusilau fighting with a local resident and decided to intervene despite the two men settling the dispute. The police officers allegedly approached Yunusilau and said “one cannot beat Russians” before attacking him. The Dagestani man attempted to hide in a pharmacy but was dragged out by the officers and beaten further.
Video footage of the brutal attack is available below:
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— baza (@bazabazon) April 24, 2019
In the aftermath of Yunsilau’s death, UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov took to social media to express his concerns regarding police brutality and called for the officers to be punished for their crimes.
“I do not want to criticize, insult, or hurt anyone, but how can a person be beaten to death, and have it done by law enforcers,” said Khabib. “If a man violated something, there is a law under which he is held accountable; it doesn’t say we have to beat him to death! People who enforce the law must set the example. I hope the criminals will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
The three police officers have since been detained on “suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man born in the year in 1973.” The officers have been suspended from duty as the investigation takes place.