This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/17/russian-rights-group-memorial-offices-torched-arrest

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Russian human rights group has offices torched after leader's arrest Russian human rights group has offices torched after leader's arrest
(about 5 hours later)
Memorial condemns arson attack on office in Ingushetia by masked men as ‘terrorist act’Memorial condemns arson attack on office in Ingushetia by masked men as ‘terrorist act’
Marc Bennetts in MoscowMarc Bennetts in Moscow
Wed 17 Jan 2018 11.53 GMTWed 17 Jan 2018 11.53 GMT
Last modified on Wed 17 Jan 2018 16.34 GMT Last modified on Wed 17 Jan 2018 22.00 GMT
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
View more sharing optionsView more sharing options
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
CloseClose
Masked men have torched the offices of a prominent human rights organisation in Ingushetia in southern Russia, days after the head of its operations in neighbouring Chechnya was arrested on hotly disputed drug charges.Masked men have torched the offices of a prominent human rights organisation in Ingushetia in southern Russia, days after the head of its operations in neighbouring Chechnya was arrested on hotly disputed drug charges.
Memorial, Russia’s oldest human rights group, published photographs of its charred offices in Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia, a republic in Russia’s volatile North Caucasus region.Memorial, Russia’s oldest human rights group, published photographs of its charred offices in Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia, a republic in Russia’s volatile North Caucasus region.
The human rights group said that according to CCTV footage the attack happened early on Wednesday morning and was carried out by two masked men carrying petrol cans who climbed into a second floor window. The offices were empty at the time.The human rights group said that according to CCTV footage the attack happened early on Wednesday morning and was carried out by two masked men carrying petrol cans who climbed into a second floor window. The offices were empty at the time.
“Memorial considers this to be a terrorist act,” the organisation said in a statement. “There is clearly a link between this arson attack and those forces that are trying to destroy Memorial’s work in Chechnya and force Memorial out of the entire North Caucasus region.”“Memorial considers this to be a terrorist act,” the organisation said in a statement. “There is clearly a link between this arson attack and those forces that are trying to destroy Memorial’s work in Chechnya and force Memorial out of the entire North Caucasus region.”
On 9 January, Oyub Titiev, the 60-year-old head of Memorial’s offices in Chechnya, was arrested and charged with possession of more than six ounces of marijuana. He faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.On 9 January, Oyub Titiev, the 60-year-old head of Memorial’s offices in Chechnya, was arrested and charged with possession of more than six ounces of marijuana. He faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
Titiev, who took over at Memorial’s Chechen office after the murder in 2009 of his colleague Natalia Estemirova, has denied the allegations and said the drugs were planted on him by police. Human rights activists have said the charges are revenge for Titiev’s exposure of rights abuses by officials loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-installed leader of Chechnya. His arrest came shortly after Magomed Daudov, the speaker of the Chechen parliament, described human rights activists as “enemies of the people” and suggested they should be executed.Titiev, who took over at Memorial’s Chechen office after the murder in 2009 of his colleague Natalia Estemirova, has denied the allegations and said the drugs were planted on him by police. Human rights activists have said the charges are revenge for Titiev’s exposure of rights abuses by officials loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-installed leader of Chechnya. His arrest came shortly after Magomed Daudov, the speaker of the Chechen parliament, described human rights activists as “enemies of the people” and suggested they should be executed.
The US state department and the Council of Europe have both called on the Chechen authorities to release Titiev.The US state department and the Council of Europe have both called on the Chechen authorities to release Titiev.
Titiev’s lawyer, Pyotr Zaikin, told Russian media this week that Chechen authorities had threatened to arrest the human rights activist’s relatives if he did not confess to the charges.Titiev’s lawyer, Pyotr Zaikin, told Russian media this week that Chechen authorities had threatened to arrest the human rights activist’s relatives if he did not confess to the charges.
“If I confess, this will mean that I have been forced to plead guilty by means of either physical pressure or blackmail,” Titiev wrote in a letter to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, that was published by Memorial.“If I confess, this will mean that I have been forced to plead guilty by means of either physical pressure or blackmail,” Titiev wrote in a letter to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, that was published by Memorial.
RussiaRussia
Human rightsHuman rights
ChechnyaChechnya
EuropeEurope
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content