Correspondents of "Echo Moskvy", Radio Liberty and "Novaya Gazeta" detained in Ingushetia

Today, in Nazran (Ingushetia), where a mass rally of oppositionists and their supporters was dispersed, two correspondents of "Echo Moskvy" Radio (Vladimir Varfolomeyev and Roman Plyusov), one of Radio Liberty (Danila Galperovich) and one of "Novaya Gazeta" (Olga Bobrova) were detained.

Messrs Varfolomeyev and Plyusov had time to tell that no force was applied to them at detention; they were just planted into militia bus and taken away.

The press service of the administration of the President of Ingushetia has informed that the journalists were detained for checking their IDs, and for this purpose they were delivered to one of the OVDs (District Militia Units). The Radio informs that so far there are no contacts with Vladimir Varfolomeyev and Roman Plyusov.

During the action itself, law enforcement bodies also detained two employees of the HRC "Memorial" - Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya and Timur Akiev, the latter was beaten with truncheons at detention.

Oleg Orlov, Chairman of the HRC "Memorial" has informed that the human rights activists did not participate in the rally, they stood aside as observers.

According to his story, Ms Sokiryanskaya was detained purposefully, as she had a video camera in her hands. Her colleague Timur Akiev tried to stand up for her and was beaten. Now, the employees of the "Memorial" are kept in Nazran GUVD.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that detentions started after in reply to the militia's attempt to hustle away the protesters, the latter began stoning militiamen and throw petrol bombs at them.