Court cancels fine imposed on Circassian activist Ruslan Gvashev

Today, the Krasnodar Territorial Court has cancelled the decision of the Lazarevskoe District Court to fine Ruslan Gvashev. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Marina Dubrovina, an advocate of the human rights organization "Agora", who represented the Ruslan Gvashev's interests.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 2, the Lazarevskoe District Court of Sochi found Ruslan Gvashev, the former chairman of the Council of Elders of Circassians-Shapsugs, guilty of organizing an unsanctioned action on the Day of Adygs' Memory – a prayer service near the Tulip Tree, and fined him by 10,000 roubles. After that, Mr Gvashev expressed his disagreement with the judgement and appealed against it at the Krasnodar Territorial Court.

"The Krasnodar Territorial Court has pronounced the decision to return the case to the Lazarevskoe District Court for reconsideration because of multiple violations," said the advocate. She did not specify what violations had been revealed by the court of appeal.

Ruslan Gvashev, despite the heart attack and heart surgery underwent by him in July, attended the trial. "I believe that the justice has triumphed. However, I demand my full rehabilitation, so we will sue further," the activist told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Ruslan Gvashev actively fights for the recognition of Circassians as the indigenous people, as well as their inclusion in the charter of the Krasnodar Territory. For his activities, he was nominated for the contest "Hero of the Caucasus-2013" held by the "Caucasian Knot".

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