18:38, 11 December 2020

HRC "Memorial" recognizes Rashid Maisigov as a political prisoner

Rashid Maisigov. Photo courtesy of the Caucasian Knot correspondent

Rashid Maisigov, sentenced for drug possession and accused of calling for separatism, is being prosecuted for political reasons, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has claimed today. The human rights defenders demand to release the Ingush journalist.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 16, the Magas District Court found journalist Rashid Maisigov guilty of drug possession and sentenced him to three years of imprisonment in a common-security penal colony. Rashid Maisigov pleaded not guilty and requested the court to acquit him.

Rashid Maisigov collaborated with the edition "Fortanga", which covered the protests in Ingushetia in March of 2019. The journalist was detained after searches in his house, where law enforcers had allegedly found a parcel with white powder and leaflets calling for the separation of Ingushetia from Russia. After his detention, Rashid Maisigov claimed that he had been subjected to torture.

The HRC "Memorial" recognizes Rashid Maisigov as a political prisoner, the press service for the HRC "Memorial" reports today. "We believe that the journalist from Ingushetia is being prosecuted in connection with the exercise of the right to freedom of speech. The purpose of the repression against him is to stop the criticism of the authorities and intimidate the society. We demand to release Rashid Maisigov and punish the persons responsible for his prosecution," the HRC "Memorial" announced in the statement posted on its official website.

The human rights defenders considered the charge of drug possession brought against Rashid Maisigov as groundless. "At trial, Rashid Maisigov described in detail the torture used against him: law enforcers were using electric current by connecting wires to his earlobes, strangling him, and threatening him with charges of high treason if he did not sign a confession. Rashid Maisigov agreed to incriminate himself. Later, during an official interrogation in the presence of an advocate, the journalist retracted his confession," the HRC "Memorial" reports.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 11, 2020 at 02:27 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.