17:35, 12 June 2018

On the eve of FIFA World Cup-2018, AI activists call for Oyub Titiev's release

Oyub Titiev in the court room. Photo by the press service of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial"

On June 11, activists of the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) threw soccer balls into the yard of the Russian Embassy in Belgium, demanding to restore justice in relation of Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Titiev was arrested on January 11 on charges of possessing marijuana. He asserts that the drug was planted on him by a law enforcer. On May 31, the court extended Titiev's arrest until July 9.

On June 11, 11 activists threw 100 yellow footballs with the inscription #JusticeForOyub through the fence of the Russian embassy in Brussels. Activists demand to protect Titiev and other political prisoners from persecution, the VRT NWS agency reports.

Before the World Cup, the AI selected 11 Russian "human rights champions." Throughout the World Cup, actions are planned around the world in support of human rights defenders demanding that Russian authorities stop intimidating them.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.