A picket in support of Ingush refugee Ruslan Meyriev was held in Belgium again

In Brussels, more than ten people held a protest against the deportation of 41-year-old native of Ingushetia Ruslan Meyriev. He has been in custody in the country since 2024, and Russia is demanding his extradition.

“We draw attention to the lack of legal assistance in holding Meyriev and the threats of his extradition to Russia, where he faces reprisals,” noted the organizer of the protest, head of the human rights association PeaceWomen Across the Globe Fatima Gazieva.

Meyriev’s arrest in Belgium was related to a request from the Russian side. In Moscow, the man is suspected of involvement in preparing terrorist attacks ahead of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and of participating in the terrorist Islamic State in Syria. He himself stated that he was not in Syria and did not participate in military operations, nor did he plan any terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation. All accusations are based on information received from Russian special services.

In 2013, Meyriev moved to Crimea, then went to mainland Ukraine. In 2022, he emigrated to Sweden. He was later detained on the basis of a warrant from Belgium and is currently in custody in Brussels.

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