Chechen National Rescue Committee chairman sued Ingush Migration Service Department acting head

Recently Ruslan Badalov, chairman of the public organization "Chechen National Rescue Committee" has brought an action to the Nazran Regional Court against acting head of the Ingush Migration Service Department Ivan Pomeschenko, who faces charges of offence and defamation.

The Chechen human rights activist considers the official is to be called to account for his public defamatory allegations and offences against him.

"The official's abuses must be stopped. First, in his interview with the "Prague Watchdog" journalist, Mr. Pomeschenko accused me of bribing refugees so that they would not return to Chechnya. Second, at a meeting with displaced persons in the "Bella" camp, the Russian official publicly offended me, calling me, I quote him as saying, "a subversive element who bribed the Public Council of refugees so that the people would not be able to return and settle normally at their new place."

Mr. Badalov considers that such statements offend not only him but also thousands of refugees, who were also indirectly accused of venality.

Now, according to Ruslan Badalov, Mr. Pomeschenko should offer real evidence of his charges in court. Otherwise, he must openly apologize for his false charges against the human rights activist and pay pecuniary damages.

Mr. Badalov said in his interview with the Caucasus Times agency his claim has already been accepted for consideration by the Nazran Regional Court and its decision is expected very soon.