Eight political activists are on trial or awaiting trial in Ingushetia (Southern Russia) for leading a peaceful protest campaign in 2018 and 2019. They are facing serious charges, including participation in an “extremist association”, that could lead to prison terms of up to nine years. Having examined the charges and the available evidence, Amnesty International is concerned that the accusations against them are politically motivated and stem solely from their legitimate political and social activities. Furthermore, their right to a fair trial is undermined by the arbitrary transfer of the proceedings to another court in a different part of the country that would hinder their ability to launch an adequate defence.
Amnesty International is concerned that the prosecution is a tactic to make them stop their activism and it therefore violates their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. It is therefore incompatible with Russia’s international human rights obligations and Constitution. Amnesty International calls on the Russian authorities to drop all charges against the activists and immediately release them.
