Rights defenders show solidarity at trial in Oyub Titiev's case

Today, more than ten journalists, politicians, and rights defenders have gathered in court in Grozny, where a hearing is being held to extend the pre-trial restriction measure to Oyub Titiev, the head of the HRC "Memorial" office in Grozny. 

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that today, presidential candidate Grigory Yavlinsky arrived in Grozny and stated he was ready to vouch for the rights defender and intended to appeal to the court with a request to release Oyub Titiev. 

Apart from Grigory Yavlinsky, Oleg Orlov, a member of the HRC "Memorial" Council, Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the "Civic Assistance", and more than 10 journalists also came to the Staropromyslovskiy District Court of Grozny. 

Timur Aliev, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission under the leader of Chechnya, and Kheda Saratova, a member of the Commission, also came to the Court. 

The persecution of Oyub Titiev was condemned by the European Union, the European Parliament, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the German government, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the international expert organization "Civil Rights Defenders", the "Civil Solidarity Platform", the human rights organization "Human Rights Watch", and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" recognized Oyub Titiev as a political prisoner.