23:05, 28 April 2021

HRC “Memorial”* recognizes Akhmed Pogorov as a political prisoner

Akhmed Pogorov. Screenshot: http://ren.tv

The criminal proceedings against Akhmed Pogorov, like other Ingush activists, are of political reasons and aimed at stopping public criticism of the authorities. Human rights defenders demand the immediate release of the Ingush activists, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”* reports today.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 26, the advocate reported about the detention of Akhmed Pogorov, a co-chairman of the World Congress of Ingush People. The Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) announced that Akhmed Pogorov was charged with organizing violence against law enforcers at a rally in Magas in 2019.

On March 26, 2019, residents of Ingushetia continued their protest rally in Magas without a sanction from the authorities. In the morning on March 27, protesters clashed with the police. Starting since the early April of 2019, mass arrests of oppositionists took place in Ingushetia. The case of seven Ingush protest leaders, accused of creating an extremist community in connection with the rally in Magas, is being considered since November 24, 2020, by the Essentuki City Court.

The HRC “Memorial”* considers Akhmed Pogorov a political prisoner. “His prosecution, like the prosecution of other leaders of the Ingush opposition, is aimed at stopping public criticism of the authorities,” the HRC “Memorial”* states today.

According to the HRC’s statement, Akhmed Pogorov, like other leaders of the Ingush protest, did not organize violence at the rally. “On the contrary, judging by the video records, the testimonies of the ‘victims,’ and the testimonies of eyewitnesses, the opposition leaders were urging the protesters to leave the place and avoid clashes,” the HRC “Memorial”* notes on its website.

The main goals of the “Ingush case” are to “decapitate the protest movement in the republic and teach a ‘lesson’ to all regions of Russia. The criminal prosecution of Akhmed Pogorov and other leaders of the Ingush opposition is another step towards suppressing legitimate public activity, the rights and freedoms of not only residents of Ingushetia, but all Russian citizens in general,” the HRC “Memorial”* emphasized. The human rights defenders demanded the immediate release of Akhmed Pogorov and other leaders of the Ingush opposition.

* The organization is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the “Register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent”.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 28, 2021 at 04:37 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.