Video calling to kill rights defenders spread in social networks on behalf of IS*

A video clip on behalf of the militants of the "Vilayat Kavkaz", a branch of the "Islamic State" (IS), banned in Russia by a court decision, with the call to kill prominent Russian rights defenders has been spread in the WhatsApp instant messenger, in a number of Telegram channels and among users of the Facebook.

In the video with duration of 1 minute and 20 seconds, dated January 10, a copy of which is available at the "Caucasian Knot", four masked men with pistols and knives in camouflage uniform sitting at the background of the IS'* flag, call on their followers to kill the famous Russian rights defenders with the purpose to shatter the situation by the 2018 presidential election.

The speaker, who appears in the video, says that the appeal was triggered by the detention in Chechnya of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Chechen branch of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

People in the video draw attention to the pressure exerted by the international community and the United States on the Russian Federation in connection with Titiev's arrest, stating the effectiveness of such efforts and the fact that this benefits IS militants.

At the end of the video, a masked man appeals to brothers who have access to well-known rights defenders to kill them, stating that, regardless of the performer, public opinion will link these killings with Putin and Kadyrov. The aims of such murders will be to stagger the situation before the election.

* "Islamic State" (IS) is organization recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia by a court decision.

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