Civil Rights Defenders is greatly concerned about the security situation of Mr. Magomed Mutsolgov, head of the human rights organization MASHR, and his colleagues. The Russian government must fulfill its responsibility to protect human rights defenders against any violence, retaliation and intimidation as a consequence of their work, reports Global Legal Post. It is also important to ensure a prompt and impartial investigation into violations committed against human rights defenders in accordance with the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, Civil Rights Defenders said in a letter sent to Russian authorities and journalists.

Mr. Magomed Mutsolgov is the head of MASHR, the first Ingush human rights organisation, established in 2005, offering free legal advice and assistance on cases involving disappearances, extrajudicial executions and torture, as well as nurturing local, independent human rights organisations in Ingushetia, Russia.
The organization’s activities have not gone unnoticed by the local authorities: since 2004, four attempts have been made on Mr. Mutsolgov’s life and two attempts to kidnap him have taken place, other members of the organization have been targeted by local law enforcement in 2008 (Mr. Zurab Tsechoev), in 2010 (Mr. Khamzat Tsechoev) and most recently in March 2012 (Mr. Murad Yandiev), at which occasion the Nazran police station pronounced death threats against Mr. Mutsolgov as well as threats of physical assault against him and his family. Other recent attempts to put pressure on the organization and its members include articles written to discredit the organization and Mr. Mutsolgov personally and published in the media controlled by the Ingush government.