Russie: arrestation de plusieurs défenseurs des droits humains et journalistes lors d’une manifestation à Nazran

Your Excellency,

I am deeply concerned following the arrest of two human rights defenders and 10 journalists in Nazran, Ingushetia, on 26 January 2008. Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya and Timur Akiyev, both staff members of Memorial Human Rights Centre, were detained while attending a demonstration to protest against repression and corruption in Ingushetia. Said-Khussein Tsarnaev, a photo-journalist for RIA-Novosti; Mustafa Kurskiev, a correspondent for Moscow-based printing houses; Roman Plyusov and Vladimir Varfolomeev, journalists with Echo Moscow radio station; Danila Galperovich of Radio Liberty; Olga Bobrova of Novaya Gazeta; two correspondents of St. Petersburg Channel Five TV; two correspondents of Russian State TV were also detained. On 23 November 2007, Front Line expressed its concern following reports of kidnapping and beating of Oleg Orlov, the Director of Memorial, and journalists Karen Sakhinov; Artem Vysotsky; and Stanislav Goryachikh from the Moscow-based REN-TV television station, in Nazran.

On 26 January 2008, several hundred people gathered to hold a demonstration in Nazran to protest against repression and corruption in Ingushetia. Protestors were dispersed by police who reportedly surrounded them in armoured vehicles and fired bullets into the air. Protestors were allegedly subject to violence and many were injured. Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya and Timur Akiyev were detained and interrogated for 10 hours. They were held at Nazran Police Department where they were photographed and finger-printed by the Federal Security Service and members of the police. They were granted access to their lawyer only after they had been detained for seven hours.

Among those also detained were Roman Plyusov, Vladimir Varfolomeev, Danila Galperovich, Olga Bobrova, two correspondents of St. Petersburg Channel Five TV, and two correspondents of Russian State TV. They too were held at the Nazran Police Department where they were interviewed as witnesses to the demonstration. That evening, they were removed from the “counter-terrorist operation zone for the sake of [their] security” when they were taken by the rapid reaction unit (SOBR) of the Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs to Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia, in armoured vehicles. They were released on 26 January 2008.

Said-Khussein Tsarnaev and Mustafa Kurskiev were arrested by members of the police while filming a house that had been set on fire. They were taken to Nazran Police Department where they were held overnight. While in detention, Said-Khussein Tsarnaev and Mustafa Kurskiev were denied access to their lawyers and were also denied food and water. Mustafa Kurskiev was reportedly badly beaten by police at the time of his arrest. When he sought medical attention for injuries sustained he was denied access to a doctor. On the morning of 27 January 2008, Said-Khussein Tsarnaev and Mustafa Kurskiev were transferred to the Temporary Detention Center (IVS) in Nazran where they were threatened that they would be charged with arson. They were sent back to the Nazran Police Department that evening, before being released at approximately 9.00pm.

I believe that the detention of Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya and Timur Akiyev is related to their human rights work for Memorial, and the detention and ill-treatment of Said-Khussein Tsarnaev, Mustafa Kurskiev, Roman Plyusov, Vladimir Varfolomeev, Danila Galperovich, Olga Bobrova, two correspondents of St. Petersburg Channel Five TV, two correspondents of Russian State TV, represents an attempt to repress media coverage of the demonstration in Nazran. Their detention could be considered to form part of an ongoing campaign against human rights defenders in Ingushetia and Russia.

I urge the Russian and Ingush authorities to:

1.Initiate an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into the arrest of Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Timur Akiyev, Said-Khussein Tsarnaev, Mustafa Kurskiev, Roman Plyusov; Vladimir Varfolomeev, Danila Galperovich, Olga Bobrova, two correspondents of St. Petersburg Channel Five TV, and the two correspondents of Russian State TV;

2.Ensure that all human rights defenders in Russia and Ingushetia are free to carry out their legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights, without fear of intimidation or reprisal.

Yours sincerely,