Rights defenders urge to stop repressions against Ingush activists

The attempt to disperse the rally in Magas was unjustified; and persecutions of Ingush activists will aggravate the conflict of republic's residents with the authorities, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has stated. Any resistance to law enforcers during protests leads to the initiation of criminal cases, said the lawyers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 3, the protest leaders, Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov and Barakh Chemurziev were arrested for 10 days each.

The aggravation of situation in Ingushetia was a result of actions of the authorities, who tried to change the law on the procedure for holding a referendum. The March 27 attempt to violently disperse the action in Magas was completely unjustified, since the demonstrators posed no threat to the public order, the HRC "Memorial" has stated.

The initiation of the case on mass riots gives rise to fears that the authorities will not limit themselves to oppositionists' arrests – real prison terms may be applied to a number of activists, human rights defenders believe.

A case on the use of violence against an authorities' official can be initiated because of any attempt to counteract a detention, Marina Agaltsova, a lawyer of the HRC "Memorial", has reminded.