Ingush activists tell about obstacles to collecting signatures for Putin

The collection of signatures to the demand of the resignation of the head of Ingushetia, cancellation of the border agreement with Chechnya and return of the Prigorodny District began during the two-week-long rally in Magas, the capital, where provocateurs tried to destroy lists with signatures, the initiators of the appeal to President Putin told the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 18, Ingush activists handed over to the Kremlin the signatures of more than 51,000 residents of the republic demanding to cancel the border agreement with Chechnya and return the Prigorodny District, now in North Ossetia, back to Ingushetia.

The collection of signatures began at the rally in Magas, said Angela Matieva, a board member of the public movement "Support of Ingushetia". According to her story, the collection of signatures was accompanied by provocations; and provocateurs repeatedly tried to disrupt the process.

"The young people, who were putting lists with signatures into files, were suddenly approached by some women; with shouting and cursing, they began seizing the lists away from the guys, tearing and trampling on them," Ms Matieva told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The collection of signatures lasted for about a month and was forcedly stopped because of provocations held by pro-governmental activists, Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the "Mashr" human rights organization, has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 18, 2019 at 23:16 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.