in Beslan," group founder Ella Kesayeva said. The court refused to hear witnesses who said that the election of the new chairperson was falsified. In February 2008 the group changed its name to Voice of Beslan All-Russian Public Organization of Terror Act Victims and decided it will not get registered again, saying that such form of public organization without registration is possible under the Russian federal law. Another group called Voice of Beslan continues to exist. Infighting and internal strife occurred as a result of the politicized activities. Persecution In January 2008 Russian prosecutors in Nazran, Ingushetia, laid extremism charges against campaigners over a 2005 appeal the group issued to politicians in Europe and the United States. After several Ingush public figures have come out strongly against the harassment of the organization, the trial was transferred to North Ossetia. The group could be banned if found extremist. In a public appeal, Voice of Beslan asked the Russian president Vladimir Putin to stop prosecuting the organization. Putin answered that the issue is beyond his competence. After receiving a reply, Kesayeva has stated "the end of illusions" in relation to Putin. The group threatened to use a legal action brought by authorities against them to expose Putin's role in Beslan tragedy. Several other charges against the group soon followed (the total of four cases as of February 2008). In one, the group was accused of beating up court bailiffs. The group said prosecutors are fabricating assault charges to punish them for seeking the truth about the siege. See also Mothers of Beslan References External links Voice of Beslan homepage (machine translation) Putin's legacy is a massacre, say the mothers of Beslan, The Independent, 26 February 2008 Beslan school siege Political advocacy groups in Russia Russian political activists