FEBRUARY 2014

International Circassian Council
The Human Rights Committee

February 15, 2014

Condemnation of Asker Sokht’s Arrest

The International Circassian Council condemns in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest of Circassian activist Asker Sokht in Krasnodar. Asker Sokht has spent his career building bridges and creating a sense of community between the different ethnic groups of the North Caucasus. He is a committed peace activist and president of the Adyghe Khasa in Krasnodar.

On February 15th Mr. Sokht was pulled from his car and arrested. Police left his young daughter, who was with him at the time, abandoned in the car. The arrest came after Mr. Sokht made comments criticizing Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Dmitry Kozak, for reneging on his promise to feature Circassian culture in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies and main venues.

The arrest of Asker Sokht by Russian authorities is a blatant attempt to stifle free speech and intimidate other activists and journalists. This is symptomatic ...

International Circassian Council

The Human Rights Committee

February 15, 2014

Urgent Appeal to Human Rights Organizations

We, the Circassians are appealing to all human rights activists and organizations to condemn the February 15th arrest of Asker Sokht, who is a community organizer, peace activist, and president of the Circassian association, known as the Adyghe Khasa in the province of Krasnodar of the Russian Federation.

The Circassians call on the local government of Krasnodar Krai and the Russian Federal Authorities to drop all charges against Asker Sokht, put an end to the suffering, torture and interrogations, and release him without delay.

Asker Sokht is being charged with "Promoting Ethnic Conflict”; but facts reveal that he has spent his career building bridges and creating a sense of community understanding between the different ethnic groups of the North Caucasus. He is a champion of peaceful conflict solution and resolution, and one of the few prominent voices of reason and moderation in the region.

On February 15th Mr. Sokht was ...

Russian Double standards between the Olympic Principles and Repressive Measures

The double standards in the application of Russian policy in dealing with the peoples and nations of the North Caucasus , especially in this area, the Circassian nation, in the course of the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games and excessive show of extravagance and exaggeration , arrogance and vanity in celebrations that cannot be seen except on the theater of those who want to change the facts on the ground, nay cover up and hide to absent a nation that was robbed of its identity, rights and usurped of its homeland forcibly and treacherously, and at the same time working to unleash its security and intelligence services to confront violently and to arrest dozens of young Circassians wanted to demonstrate in Nalchik, the capital city of the Republic of Kabardino – Balkaria to coincide with the inauguration day ...

Circassians Support the People of Ukraine

Indigenous peoples and nations and their destinies were subjected and still through their phases of existence to risks which made it an obligation to defend their right of survival in the face of greedy and arrogant imperial empires and aggressors. Accordingly, "Justice For North Caucasus Group” would assert that the Circassians both at homeland in the North Caucasus and in Diaspora across the world, with their thoughts and feelings of the past and present support the Ukrainian people, and stating their associated concerns, they strongly condemn any foreign or exterior interference and/or intervention in the internal Ukrainian affairs whether directly or indirectly, and would recall, understand, sense and feel the effects of imposed injustice and oppression.

The Circassians fully support the people of Ukraine in its struggle to choose its own civilized path and destiny within a democratic framework without foreign involvement that would turn the ...