Two Ingush activists released from SIZO in Pyatigorsk

Musa Pliev and Eliskhan Azhigov, participants of a rally in Magas, who had not been earlier released from the SIZO (pre-trial prison) in the Stavropol Territory despite the expiration of the sentences, were set free.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 10, warders of the Pyatigorsk SIZO did not release Musa Pliev and Eliskhan Azhigov and thus provoked indignation of their fellow villagers from the Ingush village of Plievo who gathered in front of the SIZO. The SIZO warders referred to their administration and informed the gathered people that Musa Pliev and Eliskhan Azhigov would not be released until January 13.

At 12:47 a.m. Moscow time on today, Musa Pliev and Eliskhan Azhigov left the gates of the Pyatigorsk SIZO. The activists were met by their relatives and friends from the village of Plievo, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported.

"Recently, the conditions of detention at the SIZO were good. Of course, that's bad that we were left at the SIZO for extra three days. But everything is already behind us. We are going home," Eliskhan Azhigov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Musa Pliev, a participant of the March rally in Magas, was sentenced by the court to 18 months of imprisonment in a penal colony-settlement, while Eliskhan Azhigov was sentenced to 17 months of imprisonment in a penal colony-settlement. The court took into account the time spent by the activists in detention. So, Eliskhan Azhigov was to be set free on December 28, 2019, and Musa Pliev ‑ on January 9, 2020. Both activists pleaded guilty to throwing stones at law enforcers during the rally held in Magas on March 27, 2019.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 13, 2020 at 01:53 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.