Ingush activists treat enforcers' warnings as form of pressure

The activists who have served their sentences within the case of the rally in Magas have linked the law enforcers' increased attention with the anniversary of Vainakhs' deportation and the presidential election. However, the pressure continues all the time after release, and former convicts are unable to get a job in state bodies, the activist assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 21, 2024, it became known that law enforcers were calling the Ingush activists and former convicts within the case of the rally in Magas for prophylactic talks and warned them against participating in extremist actions and unsanctioned actions. Activists received these warnings amid actions in memory of Alexei Navalny.

The warnings were issued for two reasons, Bagautdin Myakiev, a member of the Council of Teips (Family Clans) of Ingushetia, believes. "Firstly, in order to prevent us from taking part in mass actions held on February 23, the Remembrance Day of the Ingushes' Deportation; moreover, not to allow us to organize our own actions," Mr Myakiev has stated.

In his opinion, it is equally important that the warnings were issued before the presidential election.

According to Myakiev, he himself refused to come to receive the warning.

The warnings were issued exclusively to those who had been convicted within the "rally" case and were released, said Israpil, an activist, who had also served his term within this case.

Besides, in his opinion, law enforcers were afraid of people's participation in informal events on February 23, dedicated to the anniversary of Vainakhs' deportation.

"During the 2019 protests, activists spoke out at the memorial to deportation victims, many of those ... who were later treated as protest leaders. Apparently, now they decided to warn us in order to avoid unofficial actions. But I think this is more for reporting to authorities," Israpil has explained, adding that earlier convicted rally participants had been sometimes called before some events and activities, but there was no such mass call.