Chemurziev thanks Sokurov for support of Ingush activists

In a video message addressed to Alexander Sokurov, Barakh Chemurziev, convicted together with six other leaders of the protest in Magas, thanked the film director for his courage and decision to support for the Ingush activists before Vladimir Putin.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that at a meeting of the Presidential Council on Human Rights held on December 9, film director Alexander Sokurov requested Vladimir Putin to release the Ingush activists.

The video message from Barakh Chemurziev to Alexander Sokurov, recorded after the verdict against the Ingush activists had been pronounced, has been posted on the “Fortanga” Telegram channel today.

“Alexander Nikolaevich, we are very grateful that you remembered us, you were not afraid and supported us! As long as there are people like you, the country has a hope that it will live and exist. There is nothing strange in what is happening to us. This is normal in the situation, and, therefore, the sentences that were pronounced against us are a warning to you, the rest, who remained at liberty, so that you sit and do not rock the boat, or leave the country, or do not comment in any way on actions of the authorities,” Barakh Chemurziev says on the video.

Let us remind you that on December 15, six days after the Alexander Sokurov’s conversation with Vladimir Putin, a court in Yessentuki found seven leaders of the protest in Magas guilty of creating an extremist community. The judge sentenced Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov, and Malsag Uzhakhov to nine years of imprisonment. Ismail Nalgiev, Bagaudin Khautiev, and Barakh Chemurziev were sentenced to eight years, and Zarifa Sautieva – to seven years and six months of imprisonment.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 21, 2021 at 12:10 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.