Russia: European Parliament strongly condemns the detention of Oyub Titiev

14/02/2019

Impact

On 14 February 2019, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution on the situation in Chechnya and the case of Oyub Titiev, from FIDH member organisation Human Rights Centre Memorial. Oyub Titiev has been unduly targetted for having worked relentlessy to expose extrajudicial killings, kidnappings and torture by Chechnya’s authorities. He took over the position of HRC Memorial Chechenya office from another prominent human rights defender, Natalia Estemirova, after her assassination in 2009.

Through its new resolution, the EP reasserted a constant position which it has put forward since Oyub Titiev’s arrest in January 2018: Oyub Titiev must be immediately released and the Chechen authorities must immediately end the harassment, attacks and arrests of human rights defenders on the grounds of fabricated accusations.
FIDH has closely monitored the situation of human rights defenders in Russia, including Chechenya, and has kept European actors regularly informed about their situation.

In March 2019, Oyub Titiev was condemned to four years in prison on trumped-up charges after an unfair trial. FIDH will continue the mobilisation of international and European actors to press for his release.