Case against 13 law enforcers is punishment for prevented conflict at Magas rally

In the spring of 2019, the police prevented a clash of law enforcers with protesters in Ingushetia, which would inevitably lead to bloodshed, Svetlana Gannushkina, a human rights defender, and Magomed Shamilov, the chairman of the Dagestan police trade union, have noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in June, an inquiry was over into the case of 12 former policemen, who had been accused of non-fulfilling the order to disperse protesters in Magas in March 2019. The defendants insisted that they had received no order from their bosses to disperse the rally.

The real reason for the dismissal of Ingush law enforcers is the desire of their bosses to relieve themselves of responsibility for creating a conflict and aggravating the situation in the republic, said Mikhail Pavlov, the chairman of the central committee of the police trade union.

Magomed Shamilov, the chairman of the Dagestani police trade union, believes that the appearance of patrol-and-post service (PPS) inspectors acting as peacemakers had ruined the plan, which initially foresaw violent clashes and victims. These 13 policemen honestly fulfilled their professional and human duties, Mr Shamilov has stressed.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the "Civil Assistance" Committee*, is also sure that the PPS staff conducted their "peacemaking mission" by convincing the elders to leave the square and take people away with them.

In March 2019, protesters did not disperse not because they were inclined to a conflict, but because they were deceived by authorities, Magomed Mutsolgov, a human rights defender, asserts.