Rally in support of Ingush protest leaders ends with picketer's detention

Law enforcers have detained Isa Bekov, a resident of Ingushetia, during his solo picket in support of the leaders of the republic's protests. After drawing up a protocol on violation of the mask regime, the picketer was released.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 15, the court in Yessentuki satisfied the prosecutor's demands to sentence Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov and Malsag Uzhakhov to nine years in prison; Ismail Nalgiev, Bagaudin Khautiev and Barakh Chemurziev – to eight years; and Zarifa Sautieva – to 7.5 of freedom deprivation. Their defence had hoped for milder punishments. The convicts' relatives have lost any trust in a fair trial.

On December 17, in Magas, Isa Bekov held a solo picket in support of the convicted protest leaders, during which he was holding a poster reading: "Imprison the remaining 500,000 Ingushes!" After about 10 minutes, he was detained, the "Fortanga Org" writes on the Instagram with reference to an eyewitness.

The detainee was released after drawing up a protocol on violation of the mask regime, said his uncle, Magomed Bekov, a lawyer.

"Isa says that this was a form of his disagreement with the verdict of our prisoners, as he believes that this was a verdict to the entire Ingush people," Magomed wrote on the Facebook.