Lawyers argue about ways to mitigate sentence to leaders of Ingush protest

In addition to an appeal, seven leaders of the protest in Ingushetia sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, can address the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), suggests Vladimir Novitsky, the president of the Russian section of the International Society for Human Rights.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on December 15, the court sentenced Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov, and Malsag Uzhakhov to nine years of imprisonment. Ismail Nalgiev, Bagaudin Khautiev, and Barakh Chemurziev were sentenced to eight years, and Zarifa Sautieva – to 7.5 years of imprisonment. The defence hoped for a lighter punishment. According to political analysts, the activists were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment for a peaceful protest, during which they were calling on to prevent riots.

Vladimir Novitsky advises the defence of the convicted activists to appeal for release or postponement of punishment due to age or health condition, since there is a list of diseases which exempt a person from punishment.

Advocate Yevgeny Chernousov believes the convicted activists should rely not on the courts and the ECtHR, since its decisions are now often neglected by the Russian authorities, but on the support of society and the media.

“The case provoked a public outcry, and it was discussed at a meeting of the Human Rights Council (HRC) with the Russian President,” the advocate noted.

On December 9, President Vladimir Putin and film director Alexander Sokurov argued at the meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights. The Russian President reacted sharply to Alexander Sokurov’s words about separatist sentiments among residents of Northern Caucasus and his proposal to release the persons who protested against the Chechen-Ingush border agreement. Meanwhile, Alexander Sokurov called the situation in Northern Caucasus the most urgent in Russia.