Inquiry into beating of rights defenders in Ingushetia resumed

The leadership of the Investigating Department (ID) for Ingushetia of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) announced the cancellation of the investigator's decision to suspend the investigation into the attack on the joint group of the "Committee for the Prevention of Torture" (CPT) in March 2016, the Presidential Council for Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (HRC) has reported today.

On March 9, in Ingushetia, not far from the administrative border with Chechnya, a group of unidentified attackers beat eight rights defenders, journalists, and a driver of a minivan of the Joint Mobile Group (JMG) on their way to Grozny. Their minivan was burned out. As a result of the incident, four persons, including journalists from Norway and Sweden, were brought to the Sunzha District Hospital.

The "Caucasian Knot" has informed that on February 15, the advocate for the victims reported that the investigators failed to establish those involved in the attack on journalists and rights defenders in Ingushetia, and suspended the investigation of the criminal case.

Today, members of the HRC met with the leadership of the ID for Ingushetia of the ICRF to learn more about the progress of the investigation into the attack.

Employees of the ICRF told the participants of the meeting that during the investigation more than 160 witnesses were questioned, numerous examinations were carried out, reviews were conducted, and many other operative-search activities were held.

"Due to the fact that the persons who committed the attack were not identified, the investigator suspended the investigation; however, the bosses of the ID cancelled the decision; and now the investigation continues," says the statement posted on the website of the HRC.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.