Ingush activists report mass inspections of weapon permits

After the protests in Ingushetia, law enforcers visited owners of weapons, whose weapon permits had expired, reported human rights defender Magomed Mutsolgov and Malsag Uzhakhov, the head of the Council of Teips of the Ingush People. An expired weapon permit is not a reason for detention of a person if the weapon is kept at home, lawyers note.

Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the human rights organization "Mashr" and a participant of the protests, associated the raids of law enforcers with the recent protests.

A citizen cannot be detained for an expired permit to store a hunting gun, states advocate Nikita Taranischenko. According to him, if a combat gun is found at home without a permit, an owner will be detained and the gun will be seized.

The love to hunting and guns among residents of Northern Caucasus is a part of history and traditions, notes Alexander Skakov, a researcher of the Caucasus.

Inspections of unregistered weapons could be an attempt to prevent possible use of weapons during actions, noted political analyst Irina Starodubrovskaya. She believes "radicalization of protests" is possible in Ingushetia.

With those inspections, the law enforcement bodies showed their readiness to take the situation under their control, believes Timur Akiev, the head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" office in Ingushetia.