Ingush Protests after Ramadan Will be Led by Younger and More Radical Activists, Residents Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, May 31 – During Ramadan, the Muslim Ingush will not go into the streets to protest, local residents say; but when it ends next week, the officials will face protests led by younger  and radical people because of the authorities decisions to arrest so many of the elders who worked to keep the demonstrations within the law.

            According to one resident, Izabella Yevloyeva, “earlier the protests were led by the elders who tried to keep everything within the framework of the law. Now, the protest will try to be led by young people who are much more radical.” Consequently, clashes with the authorities are likely to be more frequent and possibly violent (bbc.com/russian/news-48465871).

            But even more the Holy Month ends, the Ingush people are signaling their intentions to continue to oppose Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and his authoritarian actions. Today, they plan to hold a collective Friday prayer for those Ingush protest leaders who are being held behind bars, many outside of the republic (fortanga.org/2019/05/v-magase-planiruetsya-pyatnichnaya-molitva/).

            Meanwhile, two legal appeals are proceeding against Yevkurov’s actions: by the Union of Teips which is seeking to overturn the three-month ban on its activities (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/336107/) and by Magomed Khamkhoyev, a protest leader who is seeking to reverse the decision to extend his jailing until September 25 (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/336063/).

            But Yevkurov shows no sign of softening his position. He is calling for charges to be brought and Ingush to be arrested if they violate rules about building houses in regions which may become disputed or indeed any part of the Ingush Republic, something that will give him another means of repressing the population (instagram.com/p/ByDMsCWpUnv/).