In Kabardino-Balkaria, villagers fined after protest action on field

In Kabardino-Balkaria, 40 residents of the village of Verkhny Akbash were brought to the local ROVD (District Interior Division) and wrote explanatory letters on self-acquisition of land plots. Protocols on administrative violations were drawn up against 16 villagers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 23, residents of the village of Verkhny Akbash of the Terek District held a protest action and demanded from the enterprise "Terekalmaz" to stop agricultural activities on the field with area of 224 hectares. The villagers believe the field belongs to them.

On April 16, the residents of the village of Verkhny Akbash marked boundaries on the controversial field and even plowed a part of it. This was reported by villager Murat Aksorov.

According to him, 40 villagers, who tried to start agricultural activities on the field, were summoned to the local ROVD.

Residents of the village of Verkhny Akbash are preparing an appeal to the President of Russia with a request to pay attention to the violation of their rights.

According to Valery Khatazhukov, the leader of the Kabardino-Balkarian regional human rights centre, residents of Kabardino-Balkarian villages regularly appeal to the human rights defenders with requests to attract the attention of the federal government to land conflicts.

Valery Khatazhukov has also added that the resolution of land disputes "will remove a threat of religious extremism in the villages."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.