Human rights activist Musa Pliev appointed adviser to President of Ingushetia

Advocate Musa Pliev, who is representing the interests of Magomed Evloev's family in the court, became an adviser to Yunus-Bek Evkurov, new President of Ingushetia. The appointment was made yesterday, on December 7, by a President's Decree.

Mr Pliev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that his duties will comprise "coordination of the activities of the judicial and power agencies of the Republic." "The President has invited me with account of my experience. Until recently, I was one of the oppositionists. We were engaged in the most acute problems, on which the whole Republic was in fever - revealing extrajudicial executions, kidnappings and murders," the now President's adviser has reminded.

To the question of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on what "the coordination of activities" would look like, Musa Pliev answered, in particular, that the coordination will be targeted at supervision over special operations; that they are held with observance of all legal requirements. "It's a must that our district militiamen, the prosecutor's office, probably even heads of administrations are admitted to special operations - from the moment of investigation till fulfilment of special missions. It's a must that everyone - district militiamen, administration, including the President - is aware: who is hunted on, what are the accusations, on what grounds; special operations should be transparent," Mr Pliev has added.

On request of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Musa Pliev has commented on the legality of the special operation on December 5 in Nazran, which took away two lives. "As an advocate and a human rights activist, I state: the guilt should be proved according to the law of the Russian Federation, as a secular legal democratic state. I'm against blaming a person to be a militant without a trial. The fact that a casualty was a militant should be proved by the court. The casualty has the right to defence. Now, after the murder of two persons, it's already impossible to prove otherwise," he has added.