VZCZCXRO2614
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBS #1501 2701437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261437Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8055
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001501 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RUS, EUR/CARC AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM RU BE GG
SUBJECT: INGUSH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SEEK ATTENTION FOR 
VIOLATIONS IN INGUSHETIA 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On September 24, Poloff met with two Ingush 
human rights activists, Ibragim Muharbekovich Lianov and Alik 
Osdoev.  They described human rights violations in Ingushetia 
since 1992.  They said that Russia intends to abolish the 
Republic of Ingushetia and merge it with Chechnya in October 
¶2008.  They predict disruptions of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi 
if the human rights situation in Ingushetia does not improve. 
 Lianov's and Osdoev's visit is evidence that Russia's 
actions in the South Caucasus are noticed and are having 
repercussions in the highly volatile North Caucasus.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Lianov said that he is a member of the Ingush 
branch of the International Historical-Enlightenment, Human 
Rights and Humanitarian Society Memorial, located in 
Karabulak City in Ingushetia.  Lianov and Osdoev are 
currently living in Brussels, however, and are trying to 
bring human rights violations in Ingushetia to public 
attention.  They have held meetings with the European 
Commission.  Lianov said he is a former sports teacher in 
Ingushetia and Osdoev said he is an auto body repairman. 
They did not explain how they were supporting themselves in 
Brussels. 
 
¶2. (U) Lianov showed pictures of himself and Osdoev with 
journalist Magomed Yevloyev at a demonstration they jointly 
organized in Brussels for Ingush human rights on August 26. 
Yevloyev was murdered on August 31 in Ingushetia, shortly 
after he returned from Brussels.  Lianov also showed Poloff a 
list of persons who have disappeared in Ingushetia, most of 
whom were ordinary citizens, he said.  He provided a 
pamphlet, published by Memorial in 1996, describing "Mass 
Violations of the Rights of Citizens of Ingush Nationality" 
in Russia from 1992-1996.  The Russian government is 
committing, or tolerating, killings and other repression of 
the Ingush, he said.  Lianov said that the Ingush do not seek 
independence from Russia, but simply wish to be able to live 
their lives in peace.  He contrasted Russia's solicitous 
attitude toward South Ossetians and Abkhaz to its poor 
treatment of the Ingush minority within its own borders. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Lianov said that there are 70,000 refugees from 
North Ossetia in Ingushetia, who were forced out when North 
Ossetia asserted control over Ingush-inhabited areas.  Now, 
he says, Russia intends to abolish the Republic of Ingushetia 
and merge it with neighboring Chechnya, ruled by Russia's 
puppet, Kadirov.  It is this prospect that has pushed Lianov 
into politics at this time.  Lianov said that if Russia does 
not begin to improve its treatment of the Ingush, Ingush 
activists will likely cause disruptions of the 2014 Olympic 
games in Sochi. 
 
¶4. (U) Lianov provided Poloff with the above-mentioned 
pamphlet, a copy of a letter to Ambassador Fox sent in March 
2008 and a DVD documentary about Ingush human rights issues. 
Post will forward them to DRL for possible use in the next 
human rights report on Russia. 
 
FOX 
.