The ex-head of the Ingush PARNAS was released early

The former chairman of the Ingush branch of PARNAS Magomed Khazbiev, convicted of insulting the then head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was released early. It is reported by Interfax.

In November 2018, Khazbiev was sentenced to 2 years and 11 months in a colony-settlement, as well as to a fine of 50 thousand rubles under four articles - on inciting hostility towards the head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the government, representatives of the judiciary, law enforcement and power structures on the basis of belonging to a social group (part 1 of article 282 of the Criminal Code), as well as in insulting a representative of the authorities (part 1 of article 319 of the Criminal Code) and illegal possession of weapons and explosives (part 1 of article 222 and part 1 of article 222.1 UK).

According to an Interfax source, the early release of the activist is connected with a law that came into force last year, which counts one day of detention before sentencing as two days in a colony-settlement.

The activist has been in detention since January 2018. As a result of the offset of the term of detention in a pre-trial detention center and the decriminalization of Article 282 of the Criminal Code, the term of punishment was reduced. This allowed Khazbiev to be released 15 months earlier.

• The case under Article 282 of the Criminal Code against Khazbiev was initiated because of an interview that he posted on YouTube. Then the Head of Ingushetia Yevkurov said that the video humiliates his honor and dignity and asked to bring the opposition leader to criminal liability.
• Since January 2015, Magomed Khazbiev has been on the international wanted list. The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ingushetia suspected him and his relatives of stealing cars and possessing weapons. The man left for Chechnya, and as soon as he returned, he was arrested. Later, Khazbiev reported that he left the republic because of threats and went to Chechnya, where, according to the "Caucasian Knot", he was provided with state protection.