Oleg Orlov associates arson of "Memorial" office with prosecution of Titiev

An attack on the office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" in Ingushetia and the pressure on the "Memorial" office in Chechnya are connected, believes Oleg Orlov, a member of the board for the HRC "Memorial".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that last night, a fire broke out in the office of the HRC "Memorial". According to records from a video surveillance camera, the office was set on fire by two unidentified people, Oleg Orlov reported. The rights defenders treated the attack on the office as a terror act.

Oleg Orlov believes the arson of the "Memorial" office in Nazran is connected with the pressure on the HRC in Chechnya.

"For us, there is a clear relation between the pressure on the HRC 'Memorial' in Chechnya and the terror act in Ingushetia. We believe those who are trying to suppress our activities in Chechnya are making attempts to squeeze the HRC out of the entire North-Caucasian region," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by the member of the board for the HRC "Memorial".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 11, Oyub Titiev, head of HRC "Memorial" office in Chechnya, was put into custody for two months on charges of possessing marijuana. Titiev claims that the drug was planted on him by a law enforcer. He told his advocate that law enforcers had forced him into self-incrimination and threatened to bring criminal cases against his relatives on promoting terrorism.

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