Activist from KBR tries to sue FSB

Olga Begretova, a female activist from the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), who was subjected to forced fingerprinting by border guards, has demanded to treat the refusal of the republic's branch of the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) to provide the information collected about as illegal and to oblige the branch to eliminate the violations. This was reported by the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence*.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 13, 2023, Begretova complained about forced fingerprinting at the airport, although this procedure is not provided for by law. The court then treated border guards' actions as legitimate and refused to investigate the incident.

Ms Begretova has noted that, according to the law, fingerprints must be given by people who are unable for health reasons to provide information about their identity, those suspected or accused of committing crimes, and those arrested and committed offenses, whose identity cannot be established.

*As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of "inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces."