10 May 2007, 23:39
Human rights activists demand to excite criminal case against Cossacks' Ataman of Stavropol Territory
"Today, the lawyers of the Inter-Regional Human Rights Association "AGORA" have addressed Sergey Golovanyov, Public Prosecutor of Stavropol Territory, with a demand to hold investigation and initiate a criminal case in relation to Mikhail Serkov, Ataman of the Stavropol Cossack District of the Tersk Cossack Army, for his public extremist statements (points "a" and "b," Part 2, Article 282, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Late in April, Mr. Serkov declared in a number of Russian mass media that 'Cossacks will undertake actions to detect Estonians in Stavropol Territory and create most unfriendly conditions for their stay in Russia and running businesses or any other activity'," runs the statement of the Inter-Regional Association of Human Rights Organizations "AGORA."
"Estonians have done nothing bad to them or any other Russians. Even the Mayor of Tallinn was against reburial of the soldier, therefore, one should never generalize all Estonian citizens, moreover, those Estonians who are historical citizens of Russia and live in its territory," says Pavel Chikov, Candidate of Law and Chairman of the Inter-Regional Human Rights Association "AGORA."
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported earlier that the statement of Mikhail Serkov, Ataman of the Stavropol District of the Tersk Cossack Army runs as follows: "...with account of Cossacks' moods, an order has been passed on our actions adequate to Estonia's ones, including actions to stop sales of Estonia-made goods or products imported from this country, to detect Estonians in Stavropol Territory and create most unfriendly conditions for their stay in Russia and running businesses or any other activity."
Author: Elena Kostenko, CK correspondent
