23:44, 3 July 2018

Rights defenders criticize FIFA for poor reaction to Oyub Titiev's case

Oyub Titiev is taken away, July 3, 2018. Photo: press service of HRC 'Memorial'

On July 5, the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya will consider a motion filed by the defence of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" office in Grozny, to transfer the consideration of the case to another region.

Starting from January 11, Oyub Titiev is being kept under arrest on the charge of marijuana possession. The rights defender said that the drugs were planted on him by a law enforcer and filed to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) a complaint with a request to bring that person to justice. The investigators three times refused to institute a case on the basis of the Oyub Titiev's complaint, and on June 26, the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya dismissed the defence complaint about the investigators' refusal to institute proceedings against the law enforcers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the defence filed a motion to the Supreme Court of Chechnya to change the territorial jurisdiction of the Oyub Titiev's case. The preliminary court hearings on the case are postponed until July 9, since it is assumed that the Supreme Court of the republic will consider the motion until that day, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent is informed by Oyub Titiev's advocates.

The Supreme Court of Chechnya will consider the motion on changing the territorial jurisdiction of the Oyub Titiev's case and transferring it to another region on July 5, the HRC "Memorial" reports today in its Telegram channel.

Oleg Orlov, a member of the board for the HRC "Memorial", has noted that rights defenders intend to take new actions in defence of Oyub Titiev. However, he refused to disclose the details.

According to Oleg Orlov, the FIFA's reaction to the appeals of the rights defenders was exactly what one would expect. "There are common words and statements about the need to respect human rights, expression of concern, but no more. We do not know any specific steps made by the FIFA. Meanwhile, I believe FIFA takes a shame in connection with the Oyub Titiev's case, since the trial against the rights defender starts in the midst of the World Cup in Russia," complained the member of the board for the HRC "Memorial".

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 3, 2018 at 05:31 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: CK correspondent