Social media users alarmed by report about capture of protester Chirkinov

As follows from a video posted on the social media, Ramis Chirkinov, who had been sentenced in a case on organizing riots in Vladikavkaz, was captured in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine. Social media users expressed their sympathy to Ramis Chirkinov and wished him to return home.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in November 2022, the court of appeal refused to grant complaints against the verdicts to Vadim Cheldiev, Arsen Besolov, and Ramis Chirkinov. An advocate of Vadim Cheldiev claims that the court did not take into account the arguments in the appeal.

Ramis Chirkinov ended up in Ukrainian captivity, the “Novosti Osetii” (News of Ossetia) Telegram channel reported. In the video, the man spoke about the anti-COVID protest action in Vladikavkaz and about how he was recruited to participate in the special military operation when he was serving his sentence in a penal colony.

In their comments on social media, many users expressed their sympathy for Ramis Chirkinov. “The authorities should remove all charges from him concerning the anti-COVID protest and help him return home,” user zairadzioeva suggested.

Let us remind you that on April 20, 2020, in Vladikavkaz, the police dispersed a protest action held by opponents of the self-isolation regime, who demanded the resignation of the government, parliament, and the leader of North Ossetia. According to the investigators’ version, thirteen fighters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the “Rosgvardiya” (National Guard of Russia) were injured at the spontaneous rally.