HRW demands to stop persecuting "Mashr" leader

The accusations against Magomed Mutsolgov, the leader of the Ingush organization "Mashr", are aimed to intimidate him and tarnish him in the people's eyes. This was announced in the statement made by the international human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 6, in Ingushetia, men in masks cordoned off the yard of the office of the Ingush human rights organization "Mashr" and the house of its leader Magomed Mutsolgov and began to carry out the search. In the course of the search, members of the "Mashr" were blocked at the office. Law enforcers seized from the "Mashr" office a large package of documents and PCs. A number of human rights defenders have already expressed their support to the leader of the "Mashr".

Today, the HRW has disseminated a statement signed by Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia Director at the HRW. In its statement, the HRW condemns the pressure on the Ingush human rights defender.

"Human rights defenders should be protected and not harassed or intimidated. The authorities' attempts to intimidate human rights groups by means of baseless accusations and arbitrary searches are unacceptable in a democratic society," emphasizes the statement made by the HRW.

Let us remind you that Russian experts have explained the searches in the "Mashr" office by the authorities' struggle against dissent. Magomed Mutsolgov himself has stated that he received warnings about possible criminal proceedings against him because of his public activities.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.