Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - juli 2017

• 2017-08-06
• Democratie & mensenrechten Europa in de wereld

4 juli 2017

Tourism in Chechnya: The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) made an analysis of tourist special economic zones in Russia. The least efficient tourist special economic zone was Chechnya. Chechnya tourist special economic zone is not efficient, the MED argues. (RBK)

10 juli 2017

Novaya Gazeta reports about alleged extrajudicial execution in Chechnya: Novaya Gazeta claims that law enforcement forces in Chechnya had executed 27 people on the night of 26 January 2017. The alleged victims were detained during special operations in Chechnya. The newspaper publishes a list of 27 people, but adds that 56 people could have become the victims of extrajudicial killings. Chechen Minister on National Policy, External Relations, Press and Information Dzhambulat Umarov denied the reports as a "lie." (Novaya Gazeta, RIAN; Ekho Moskvy)

11 juli 2017

Kremlin 'takes note' of reports on extrajudicial killings in Chechnya: President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the Kremlin "has taken note" of reports alleging that 27 people were killed by Chechen law enforcement forces in January 2017. At the same time, Peskov added that Chechnya's law enforcement agencies denied the reports. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova said that she has asked the Investigative Committee to study the reports. Kommersant reports that the Memorial human rights centre is checking information about the fate of the purported victims. (Gazeta.ru, Kommersant, MT)

14 juli 2017

Court delivers verdict in Nemtsov murder case: The Moscow District Military Court on Thursday sentenced five men found guilty of involvement in the killing of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov to prison terms, ranging from 11 to 20 years imprisonment. The suspected killer, former serviceman of the Chechnya-based 'Sever' battalion of the Russian Interior Troops Zaur Dadayev, has been sentenced to 20 years in jail. The media notes that the court has handed down much milder sentences than the prosecutor demanded. Earlier, the prosecutor asked the court to sentence Dadayev to life in prison. Spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko said that a religious motive behind the murder of Nemtsov had not been confirmed and stated that the convicts had been "driven by greed, i.e. at least 15 million roubles that was promised to them." Lawyers for the convicts said that they would appeal against the verdict, while a lawyer of the Nemtsov family said that those who organized the crime must face a more severe punishment. Commentators mention that the suspected organizer of the murder, Ruslan Mukhudinov, is on the international wanted list. According to some reports, Mukhudinov may be hiding in the United Arab Emirates. President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed the hope that masterminds of Nemtsov's killing will be found. Meanwhile, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called the verdict "strange," and described the evidence of guilt of the defendants as "dubious." In a radio interview on Thursday, EU Ambassador to Russia Vygaudas Usackas said that the verdict handed down by the Moscow District Military Court to the five defendants "is a first step in the investigation of Nemtsov's killing" and stressed that "we expect this to be followed by having those who ordered the murder also brought to justice." (All media; see also editorial lines)  

21 juli 2017

Putin denounces radicalism, congratulates human rights activist: (i) Russian President Vladimir Putin attended Council for Interethnic Relations meeting in Yoshkar-Ola yesterday.  Newspapers note that he has spoken against any manifestations of radicalism, including prior to election campaigns of different levels in Russia. Reportedly Putin suggested solution for compatriots unable to receive Russian citizenship. A speaker from Russian Congress of Caucasian Peoples Aslambek Paskachev complained that about 100,000 compatriots had arrived in Russia but could not receive citizenship due to their petty offences. Observers note that Vladimir Putin has promised to discuss the issue of supporting the cultural and business centers for Russian Germans with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (ii) Before flying to Yoshkar-Ola Russian President personally visited human rights defender Lyudmila Alexeyeva in Moscow and congratulated her on her 90th birthday. (Kommersant, Rossiskaya Gazeta, MK)