11:11, 18 January 2020

Malsag Uzhakhov accused of organizing extremist community

Malsag Uzhakhov. Screenshot from video posted by the Council of Teips of the Ingush People, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP8DuZa47aQ

Malsag Uzhakhov, the chairman of the Council of Teips (family clans) of the Ingush People, has faced the third criminal charge.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Malsag Uzhakhov was arrested after the March rally in Magas. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" declared Malsag Uzhakhov to be a political prisoner.

On March 27, 2019, law enforcers tried to disperse the activists who stayed in the square in the city of Magas after the sanctioned rally. As a result, clashes occurred. Already in April, mass arrests of rally participants began. According to the estimates of the "Caucasian Knot", at least 96 activists were persecuted, and criminal cases were initiated against at least 29 of them.

Human rights defenders have stated that they will defend the interests of Ingush activists up to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial” has called to stop their criminal prosecution.

Malsag Uzhakhov, the Chairman of the Ingush Council of Teips, has been charged with organizing an extremist community, the “Novaya Gazeta” reported on January 17 with reference to Djabrail Kuriev, an advocate.

“The charge is vague, not specified; it contains only general wordings and catch phrases, as well as in the charges put forward against other figurants in the case,” said Kuriev.

For Uzhakhov, this is the third criminal charge; earlier, he was charged under the articles of organizing the violence dangerous to the life and health of government officials; and on leading a non-profit organization that encourages citizens to commit unlawful acts, the HRC “Memorial” has reported.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 17, 2020 at 11:04 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.