An individual involved in the “Ingush case” has been sentenced to nine years in a penal colony.

The Nalchik City Court has sentenced Akhmed Pogorov, a defendant in the “Ingush case,” to nine years in a penal colony on charges of organising violence against representatives of the authorities (Part 3 of Article 33, Part 2 of Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code) and participating in an extremist community (Part 2 of Article 282.1 of the Russian Criminal Code), according to the Human Rights Centre “Memorial.”

Pogorov’s case was examined separately from other leaders of the Ingush protest and lasted two and a half years. In September, the prosecution requested a 13-year prison term for the activist. The sentence was handed down behind closed doors with only family members and lawyers present; a support delegation from Ingushetia was not allowed into the courtroom.

Pogorov is the fiftieth person to be convicted in the “Ingush case.” In the early 2000s, he headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia and in 2018–2019 became one of the key leaders of the protest movement in the republic. The mass rallies broke out after the signing of an agreement to transfer 7% of Ingush land to Chechnya without public consultation. Protesters demanded the annulment of this decision, the resignation of officials and the holding of free elections.

According to investigators, at a March 2019 rally in Magas, the capital of Ingushetia, Pogorov allegedly incited protesters to use violence against the security forces and officials. In July 2021, he was arrested in absentia and placed on an international wanted list. A year later, he was detained in Mineralnye Vody, a city in the North Caucasus, and transferred to a pre-trial detention centre. His detention was repeatedly extended despite his deteriorating health: Pogorov has been diagnosed with coronary heart disease and hypertension, but lacks access to necessary medical care in detention.

• According to the data of the Human Rights Centre “Memorial,” 52 people were prosecuted in connection with the 2019 rally in Magas; proceedings against three were dropped. On 15 December 2021, seven people considered by investigators to be protest leaders were sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven and a half to nine years in a penal colony.
• In September 2018, the authorities of Ingushetia and Chechnya signed an agreement changing the border between the republics, sparking protests in Ingushetia. On 26 March 2019, about 10,000 people attended a rally in Magas. Around 2,000 protesters stayed in the square overnight. In the morning, dispersal began, resulting in clashes between security forces and protesters.