16:00, 8 February 2018

European Parliament calls on to release Oyub Titiev

Oyub Titiev. Photo: Yuliya Orlova / HRC "Memorial"

The European Parliament has called on the Russian authorities to respect the rights of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Chechen branch of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", and protect him from prosecution in the court and arbitrary arrest.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 11, Oyub Titiev was arrested on the charge of marijuana possession. He claims that the drugs had been planted to him. On January 25, the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya dismissed the defence's complaint against the arrest of Oyub Titiev, despite a claim of falsifications in his case.

"The European Parliament calls for the immediate release of Oyub Titiev, the director of the HRC 'Memorial' in Chechnya, who was arrested on a fabricated charge of illegal purchase and possession of drugs," states the European Parliament's resolution.

MEPs have also urged the Russian authorities to stop "attacks on freedom of expression in Chechnya."

Earlier, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has publicly called the rights defender a drug addict, although not mentioning his surname.

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