18:14, 14 March 2019

Law enforcers accuse Ingush activists of violating rules of rally

Akhmed Barakhov. Screenshot from video posted by user ‘Pravda Ingushetii’, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4EdB0NJRek

On March 13, after they delivered speeches at a rally in Nazran, activists Akhmed Barakhoev, Akhmet Pogorov, and Malsag Uzhakhov were brought to the Ingush Centre "E" (Centre for Combating Extremism).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 27, Ingush activists Ismail Nalgiev, Bagaudin Khautiev, and Khasan Katsiev were summoned to the Centre "E" and questioned by law enforcers. The questions concerned a mourning rally held in Nazran on February 23, at which Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Evkurov was booed, activists reported. Malsag Uzhakhov, the chairman of the Teip Council of Ingushetia, was also summoned to the Centre "E" for explanations concerning his speech at the rally.

On March 13, Malsag Uzhakhov, Akhmed Barakhoev, the co-chairman of the Teip Council of Ingushetia, and Akhmet Pogorov, the co-chairman of the Congress of the Ingush Peoples, were brought to the Centre "E" and then to the Magas District Court, wrote Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the human rights organization "MASHR", on his blog at the "Caucasian Knot".

The activists were charged under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the procedure for organizing or holding a meeting, rally, demonstration, procession or picket) because of their speeches at a rally on February 23, the "Fortang.org" reports today.

"Several hundred people gathered in front of the court building. The people came to support the 'defendants,' but the trial 'failed'," wrote Magomed Mutsolgov.

The human rights defender explained that "for some unknown reason," a judge on duty was replaced by a judge who had repeatedly considered cases against Ingush activists. "When the defendants learned of the situation, they expressed their disbelief to the judge and left the courtroom," reported Magomed Mutsolgov.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 14, 2019 at 12:10 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.