Malsag Uzhakhov
Malsag Uzhakhov, born 1952, Ingushetia. Charges: Article 239 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Creation of a non-profit organisation whose activities are connected to violence against citizens or…); Article 239 part 2, Russian Criminal Code (Establishment of an non-profit organisation persuading citizens to commit illegal acts); Article 282.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code (Creation and leadership of an extremist community); “The case of the rally organisers in Ingushetiia”. Sentence (December 15, 2021): 9 years' deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, 1 year 6 months' restriction of liberty, prohibition to hold… Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since April 19, 2019; place of detention: Penal colony No. 12, Volgograd Oblast. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, February 20, 2020; Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as a political prisoner, July 4, 2019.
In brief
Ingushetia · Magas · Pensioners · Extremism cases, Cases related to mass actions
Sentence
9 years
deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony, 1 year 6 months' restriction of liberty, prohibition to hold office in public organisations for 5 years
Upheld June 21, 2024
Charges
- Article 239 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Creation of a non-profit organisation whose activities are connected to violence against citizens or to any other way of damaging their health.
- Article 239 part 2, Russian Criminal Code — Establishment of an non-profit organisation persuading citizens to commit illegal acts
- Article 282.1 part 1, Russian Criminal Code — Creation and leadership of an extremist community
- Article 318 part 2 applied with Article 33 part 3, Russian Criminal Code — Use of dangerous violence against a government official (by organized group)
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, he took a knowingly unlawful decision to continue the mass event, and in this connection, using his authority among the population of the republic, including its radicalised part, making appeals to national unity, manipulating historical facts about the deportation of the Ingush people and the existing unresolved problems of the administrative-territorial structure of the Republic of Ingushetia, took measures to unite the people present in the square, morally supporting them by the imminent arrival of new participants in the non-sanctioned mass event, as well as encouraging perseverance in case of law enforcement officers trying to stop the mass event; participated in the organisation of an extremist society; is part of the creating and governing a non-profit organisation the activity of which is connected with incentivising citizens to give up their civilian responsibilities or doing other unlawful things.
Latest event
February 28, 2026 — imprisonment begins
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, February 20, 2020
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, July 4, 2019
Timeline
· Imprisonment begins
· Cassation ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 9 years
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Persecution begins
The case of the rally organisers in Ingushetiia
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
Pre-trial Detention Centre №1 (SIZO-1) of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russian Federation for the Kabardino-Balkar Republic
Criminal case
The case of the rally organisers in Ingushetiia
Other defendants in the case
- Akhmed Barakhoev — At large with restrictions, 9 years
- Musa Malsagov — Imprisoned, 9 years
- Ismail Nalgiev — At large, 8 years
- Zarifa Sautieva — At large, 7 years 6 months
- Bagaudin Khautiev — Imprisoned, 8 years
- Barakh Chemurziev — At large, 8 years
Thematic group: The case of protests in Ingushetia
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 12, Volgograd Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
404103, Волгоградская область, г. Волжский, ул. Александрова, 86, ФКУ "ИК № 12 УФСИН России по Волгоградской области", Ужахов Малсаг Мусаевич, 1952 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
On 18 April 2019, detained and taken into custody the next day on charges of organising the use of violence against police officers at a rally on 27 March 2019. Sent to a pre-trial detention centre in Nalchik. Later transferred to the pre-trial detention centre in Vladikavkaz.
Uzhakhov was also charged under part 2 of article 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (the creation of a non-profit organisation, the activities of which involve inducing citizens to refuse to perform civil duties or to commit other illegal acts, as well as the management of such an organisation). The lawyer said that by such an organisation the prosecution meant the Council of Teips of the Ingush People.
According to his lawyer, Dzhabrail Kuriyev, Uzhakhov has a number of serious chronic diseases: diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension.
D late December 2019, a case was opened on organising the activities of an extremist community.
On 16 March 2021, he went on hunger strike and refused to participate in the trial in connection with the return of Zarifa Sautieva from house arrest to the pre-trial detention centre. On 23 March, he stopped the hunger strike after appeals from the public.
On 15 December, he was sentenced to nine years in a general regime colony. He was released on 27 February 2026.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 239 part 2, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.