Ingush rights defenders name possible consequences of Sagov's participation in Kadyrov people's action

Akhmed Sagov, the head of the "Bart" Ingush Cultural and Educational Centre, who attended the rally against the Yangulbaevs in Grozny, may be subject to moral and psychological measures of influence so that he no longer speaks out on behalf of the Ingush nation, the human rights defenders interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have suggested.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that residents of Ingushetia demanded to forbid Sagov, who had attended a rally against the Yangulbaevs in Grozny and called on the Ingushes to take part therein, to speak on behalf of the people of the republic.

"On the one hand, Sagov has the right to move around the country and communicate with whomever he wants, but, on the other hand, he clearly has no right to speak on behalf of the Ingush nation," Timur Akiev, an Ingush human rights defender, has noted. "No one has delegated this right to him," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. Apart from anonymous critics in social networks, Sagov was condemned by the Council of Teips, Mr Akiev has added.

It would be wrong to defame Sagov as a measure of influence, Magomed Mutsolgov, a rights defender, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "He shouldn't be banned from travelling, speaking and interacting with anyone he wants. But he should be demanded not to participate in political speculation on behalf of his teip (family clan), moreover, on behalf of the whole nation," Mr Mutsolgov believes.

The measures of influence that can be applied to Sagov are traditional for the Ingush society, the lawyer, Kaloi Akhilgov, has noted. "These are passive measures of influence, when people refrain from communicating and doing any business with such a person," Mr Akhilgov has emphasized.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 4, 2022 at 11:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.