15:33, 4 May 2020

"Agora" treats arrests of Vladikavkaz protesters as unjustified

The detention of the participant of the rally in Vladikavkaz. April 20, 2020. Photo by Emma Marzoeva for the "Caucasian Knot"

The "Agora" human rights organization has received 17 applications for legal aid in connection with the arrests of North-Ossetian residents who took part in the protest rally against self-isolation held on April 20.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the court had arrested six protesters for a term of one to two months; they were accused of hooliganism for throwing stones at law enforcers.

On April 20, law enforcers dispersed several hundred opponents of the self-isolation regime who gathered in Vladikavkaz demanding the resignation of the government, parliament, and the head of North Ossetia. By May 1, North-Ossetian courts had issued 64 decisions on protesters' fines and arrests.

According to Sergey Denisenko, a lawyer of the "Agora", on April 20, Ramis Cherkinov, a resident of North Ossetia, was detained for disobeying a lawful demand of a state servant, while Kazbek Kasaev, Alan Kotsoev, Khetag Vataev and Batraz Gagiev were detained for organizing a mass citizens' stay and (or) movement in public places that entailed a violation of public order. The courts sentenced all the above five persons to 15-day arrests.

The defence intends to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), Mr Denisenko has stated.

In his opinion, the court's rulings were unmotivated, since there is no attributes of any administrative offense in the activists' actions.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 4, 2020 at 01:28 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Magomed Tuaev

Source: CK correspondent