KBR scientists have their things seized at searches back

In the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), law enforcers have returned to the scientists the things seized during searches, but they gave no explanations about the reasons for the searches, one of the scientists have stated. Law enforcers' actions look like illegal persecutions, Zaur Shokuev, a lawyer, has pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 18, 2022, KBR human rights defenders called on the head of the republic, Kazbek Kokov, to prevent persecutions of scientists from the Institute for Humanitarian Studies of the KBR's Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), who are trying to recreate the true history and defend native languages of the peoples of Northern Caucasus. The appeal was supported by local activists and scientists.

The human rights defenders' concern was caused by the searches conducted at the institute's employees. There is a campaign waged against them in social networks, the authors of the appeal have noted.

The public pressure has played a positive role in the history of searches at the scientists; they got their seized belongings back, said Valery Khatazhukov, the chairman of the above KBR's Centre, who has added that Aslan Mirzoev resigned from the Centre.

He has noted that the scientists, who had been searched, raised issues of Circassians' cultural identity and the problems of teaching mother tongues. "They criticized the amendments to the federal law on education, after which the learning of mother tongues became optional ... The reason for the law enforcers' pressure should be sought here," Mr Khatazhukov is sure.

However, he has added that the processes leading to the possible abolition of national republics are not beneficial for Russia's objective interests.