Mutsolgov: Public Board on Human Rights in Ingushetia should address real problems

The Public Board for Human Rights now set up in Ingushetia will make sense only in case all its members are involved in real work aimed at solving existing problems, believes Magomed Mutsolgov, leader of the Ingush Human Rights Organization "MAShR".

In his opinion, the Public Board for Human Rights will comprise at least three-five human rights activists and representatives of the society.

"I was telephoned yesterday and told that I was also included into the Board. But so far, I haven't seen a decree or decision of the President. Apart from me, I know three more NGO representatives who were offered this work," Mr Mutsolgov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. Father of kidnapped Ibragim Gazdiev - Makhmud Gazdiev - was also offered to join the Board.

On December 3, Azamat Nalgiev, Chairman of the Board, spoke at the Ingush TV. He announced the address of the would-be reception office of the Board in Nazran and the hotline telephone number, which will be available on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. "This is wrong, to my mind. And what if an incident happens later?" Mr Mutsolgov has expressed his discontent. As he said, in a couple of days to come it will be clear "what the powers of the Board are, and what particularly they want from human rights activists."

"I had already once been a member of the ad hoc commission of the National Parliament of Ingushetia, where half of the MPs had refused to sign their own report on violations of human rights. Three or four out of fourteen members didn't appear at sittings whatsoever. If it is this sort of commission, it'll have nothing to do with real work," he said.

According to Magomed Mutsolgov, at the meeting of President Evkurov on December 1 with relatives of those kidnapped, murdered and imprisoned, where the establishment of the Board was announced, the following tasks thereof had been discussed: establishment of whereabouts of kidnapped people; termination and investigation into fabrication of criminal cases; stop to murders committed by power agents. In future, such meetings with the President will take place every 1-3 months.

Mr Evkurov has promised to start punishing those employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who refuse to take applications from victims' relatives. He has also invited relatives to complain of those officials who refuse to receive people, Mr Mutsolgov has added.