Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - april 2011

• 2011-05-03
• Europa in de wereld

1 april 2011

Kabardino-Balkaria lawmakers propose to toughen anti-terrorism law: (i) Kommersant reports on a proposal by Kabardino-Balkaria lawmakers to toughen anti-terrorism legislation. It is proposed inter alia to tighten punishment for crimes envisioned by Article 316 of the Russian Criminal Code ('Concealment of crimes'). (ii) In an interview with Izvestia, the head of the executive committee of the Russian Congress of Peoplesof the Caucasus, Aliy Totorkulov, addresses the situation in the Northern Caucasus and religious extremism in the region. (iii) According to Kommersant , authorities intend to resettle internally displaced persons who are currently residing in Ingushetia. (Izvestia, Kommersant)

4 april 2011

North Caucasus militant leader Umarov – dead or alive?:(i) According to media reports, North Caucasus militant leader Doku Umarov's wife, his personal doctor and his close associate Supyan Abdullayev are among 17 militants killed in operations on 28 March in Ingushetia during which the Air Force was employed. Militants have reportedly confirmed Abdullayev's death. A law enforcement source is quoted as saying that the likelihood of Umarov being killed is 75%. Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, however, stressed that Umarov had not been identified yet among the killed militants and did not rule out that he could have escaped. Earlier, Yevkurov said that eight out of the 17 militants have been identified. (ii) Three militants were killed in Dagestan late on Friday. Police said that one of the killed militants has been identified as the leader of a local terrorist group. (iii) Kommersant (Saturday's issue) reported that the former deputy commander of the Russian Defense Ministry's Vostok ('East') battalion, Magomed Taisumov, was kidnapped and killed in Chechnya. Blood revenge is considered as one of the theories behind the killing.(Gazeta.ru, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, Kommersant)

Kabardino-Balkaria government likely to be dismissed: (i) Kabardino-Balkaria President Arsen Kanokov is expected to dismiss the republic's Government on Monday. The worsening of the security situation in Kabardino-Balkaria is named as one of the reasons behind the move. (ii)The mediado not exclude that Deputy Presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Arkady Yedelev may soon resign. Some observers point to Yedelev's disagreements with his boss, Presidential envoy Alexander Khloponin. Kommersant suggests that the resignation could have been prompted by Yedelev's close relations to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and a "conflict between Yedelev's son, former speaker of the Stavropol territorial legislature Dmitry Yedelev, with the Stavropol authorities." (Gazeta.ru, Izvestia, Kommersant)

5 april 2011

Umarov unlikely killed in Ingushetia operation:(i) Law enforcement officials, cited by Kommersant, suggested that it is unlikely that North Caucasus militant leader Doku Umarov was among 17 militants killed in operations in Ingushetia on 28 March. Earlier, the press reported that genetic tests would be conducted on the bodies of the killed militants. A Chechen separatist website said on Monday that Umarov is alive and in good health. (ii) Meeting with Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Yevkurov yesterday in the Moscow region, President Medvedev made it clear that "there must be no negotiations with irreconcilable militants" in the Northern Caucasus. "They are criminals and must be either detained or killed," he stressed. (Interfax, Izvestia, Kommersant, RG)

Chechnya's Kadyrov to be sworn in for a second term:Today in Grozny, Ramzan Kadyrov will be sworn in as Chechen leader for a second term. Kadyrov has been nominated by President Medvedev. In an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Chechen leader comments on the security situation in Chechnya, the problem of disappearances and the socioeconomic development. According to Kadyrov's estimates, there are about 70 bandits in Chechnya's mountain districts. (RG)

Kabardino-Balkaria government dismissed:Kabardino-Balkaria President Arsen Kanokov on Monday dismissed the republican government headed by PM Alexander Merkulov. Kanokov said that the government was responsible for the deterioration of the situation in Kabardino-Balkaria in recent months. Kommersant reports that Merkulov has been appointed as deputy governor of the Volgograd region. (Kommersant, Novye Izvestia, RG)

6 april 2011

Chechen leader sworn in for a second term: (i) Ramzan Kadyrov was sworn in as Chechen leader for a second term at a ceremony yesterday in Grozny. Kadyrov took the oath in the Russian and Chechen languages. Presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khloponin called Chechnya one of the safest and quietest regions of the North Caucasus Federal District. Kommersant writes that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko sent a telegram of congratulations to Kadyrov. (ii) Experts, contacted by Trud, comment on a protest campaign launched by the opposition in Azerbaijan against President Ilham Aliyev and warn of negative consequences for Russia's Northern Caucasus of the possible coming to power of radical Islamists in Azerbaijan. (Izvestia, Kommersant, RG, Trud)

8 april 2011

Human rights activists to get free access to prisons: President Medvedev has signed into law a bill that grants free access to prisons to federal and regional lawmakers, senior officials, ombudsmen and representatives of Russian and international human rights organizations. The law is seen as part of the ongoing reform of Russia's prisons. (Izvestia, MT, RG)

11 april 2011

Imam killed in volatile Dagestan; Umarov's death not confirmed: (i) Imam of a mosque Magomed Saipulayev was killed early on Saturday in Dagestan's Kizlyar district. The murder was the latest in a series of attacks on religious figures in Dagestan. In a separate incident late on Saturday, a suicide bomber blew himself up near a special police force base in Kizlyar. No other deaths or injuries have been caused. (ii) An unnamed source in the Russian special services said on Friday that DNA tests on the bodies of militants killed in recent operations in Ingushetia had not yet confirmed that North Caucasus militant leader Doku Umarov had been killed. Meanwhile, the press reports that a man, who introduced himself as Doku Umarov, called Radio Free Europe late last week and said that he was alive and hinted that he would prove it by staging more attacks. (iii) In an interview with Kommersant-Vlast weekly magazine, Ingush leader Yevkurov comments on the 28 March large-scale operation in Ingushetia. (Gazeta.ru, Izvestia, Kommersant, MT, RG)

12 april 2011

Seven policemen, three militants killed in Dagestan: (i) Five police officers were killed and seven others were wounded in a clash with militants on Monday in Dagestan. Three militants were also killed. One of the militants has been identified as Suleiman Magomedov, who was considered as the leader of a local gang. In a separate attack on a police convoy in Dagestan early on Tuesday, two police officers were killed and three others were injured. On Monday in Ingushetia's Sunzha district, at least one militant was killed and another one was wounded in a clash with police. (ii) Rossiyskaya Gazeta publishes an interview with Finnish pastor Juha Molari, who faces criminal charges in Finland following his interview with Russia Today TV channel in which he spoke out against the Kavkaz Centre separatist website. (Interfax, Izvestia, Kommersant, RG; Ekho Moskvy)

14 april 2011

Kabardino-Balkaria leader against lifting regime of counterterrorist operation: (i) In a lengthy interview with Kommersant, Kabardino-Balkaria President Arsen Kanokov expressed the view that it is too early to lift a regime of counterterrorist operation in Kabardino-Balkaria. (ii) In an interview with Russia Today TV channel, Presidential envoy for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism Anatoly Safonov said that according to "implicit data", North Caucasus militant leader Doku Umarov "is likely to be alive," but added that "the required medical examinations and other procedures are not finalized yet."(Gazeta.ru, Kommersant)

15 april 2011

Human rights situation in Dagestan:According to a report released by the human rights organization “Memorial”, Dagestan remains the key human rights hotspot in Russia. Since spring 2010 this region has seen the highest number of incidents of terrorism, kidnappings, and torture. The findings of the report show that the main reason for such violations of human rights is a struggle between official Islam and the so-called Salafism or Wahhabism. Notably, before its release, the report was discussed with Dagestan's President Magomedsalam Magomedov, who expressed willingness to cooperate in resolving the given problems. (Novaya Gazeta)

19 april 2011

Militant leader killed in Dagestan:(i) Four militants, including militant leader Israpil Validzhanov, were killed in an operation in Dagestan early on Monday. Validzhanov, known as 'Amir Khasan', was the representative in Dagestan of North Caucasus militant leader Doku Umarov. Kommersant reports that one of the four militants killed has been identified as Magomed Adalayev, a cousin of Mariam Sharipova who blew herself up in the Moscow metro in March 2010. (ii) Two militants were killed in an operation on the outskirts of Makhachkala early on Tuesday. (iii) Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced that three militants have been killed in an operation in Chechnya's Shatoi district. (Gazeta.ru, Interfax, Izvestia, Kommersant, RG)

Kabardino-Balkaria gets new premier: Kabardino-Balkaria's legislature has confirmed Ivan Gerter as new Prime Minister of the republic. Gerter has been nominated by Kabardino-Balkaria President Arsen Kanokov. (Lenta.ru)

20 april 2011

Chechnyaseeks nearly RUR500 bln for socioeconomic projects: Chechen authorities have submitted to Russia's Regional Development Ministry a draft proposal that the federal Government provide almost RUR500 billion for the implementation of socioeconomic projects in Chechnya until 2025. Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes that Chechen authorities proposed that RUR156 billion out of the RUR500 billion be spent on housing certificates to residents who lost their housing during the military conflict in Chechnya. Sergey Arutyunov from the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences said in a comment that Moscow "has to pay reparations to Chechnya." (Gazeta.ru, NG)

21 april 2011

Karachayevo-Cherkessia militant detained in Moscow region; four killed in Dagestan: (i) Member of a militant group operating in Karachayevo-Cherkessia, Magomed Dzhagapirov, has been detained in the Moscow region. Police suspect him of involvement in attacks on law enforcement officers. According to the National Antiterrorism Committee, Dzhagapirov was responsible for supplying militants with weapons and explosives for committing terrorist attacks. (ii) Investigators have identified two men responsible for the killing in February in Kabardino-Balkaria of tourists from Moscow. One of the suspects was killed in an operation in Kabardino-Balkaria last week. (iii) Imam Nuri Ramazanov was killed in Dagestan early on Wednesday. In a separate attack in the Dagestani town of Khasavyurt on Tuesday, two policemen were killed. A militant was killed in an operation early on Wednesday in Makhachkala. The militant has been identified as a resident of Kazakhstan Sabitbai Amanov. Police said Amanov was the chief bomb expert and had undergone training in Pakistan. (iv) Kommersant reports that Ingush resident Ilez Gorchkhanov, who disappeared in March, was found dead on Tuesday in Ingushetia. The daily writes that his relatives do not rule out that law enforcement officers might have been involved in the murder. (v) Dailies report on draft amendments to anti-terrorism legislation submitted by Duma members Vladimir Vasilyev and Vladimir Pligin. (ITAR-TASS, Izvestia, Kommersant, Lenta.ru, RG, Vedomosti)

22 april 2011

Arab mercenary killed in Chechnya: (i) Two militants, including Arab mercenary Mohanned, were killed in an operation on Thursday in Chechnya. The National Antiterrorism Committee said that Mohanned was Al-Qaeda's emissary to the Northern Caucasus and had been involved in organising a series of suicide attacks over the past few years. (ii) Lithuanian authorities have reportedly detained again Klaipeda resident Egle Kusaite on suspicion of preparing a suicide bomb attack in Chechnya. (Interfax, Kommersant, Lenta.ru)

25 april 2011

Nationalists rally against budgetary policy in Northern Caucasus: A sanctioned rally against the Russian Government's budgetary policy in the Northern Caucasus and "excessive" funding of the North Caucasus republics was held on Saturday in Moscow. The rally was held under the slogan "stop feeding the Caucasus." According to Kommersant, about 700 people took part in the rally, organised by the 'Russian civilian union'. Some other media outlets put the number of participants at around 400. Also on Saturday, PM Vladimir Putin met with Deputy PM, Presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khloponin to discuss the implementation of the programme of the socioeconomic development of the region. (Kommersant, Lenta.ru, NG, Novye Izvestia, RG)

Railroad bomb explodes in Dagestan: A bomb went off on Saturday on a railroad in Dagestan. Five more explosive devices were found in the same area over the weekend. (Izvestia)

29 april 2011

16 militants killed in Northern Caucasus: (i) The National Antiterrorism Committee said in a statement on Thursday that six militants had been killed in three separate counterterrorist operations on 28 April in Dagestan. (ii) Ten militants, including two gang leaders, were killed in an operation on Friday morning on the administrative border of the Stavropol territory and Kabardino-Balkaria. (iii) Kommersant reports that Kabardino-Balkaria's legislature has withdrawn its legislative proposal to amend the Russian Criminal Code and impose criminal liability on the spouse or close relatives of offenders for concealing a crime committed by his/her spouse or a relative. (Gazeta.ru, Kommersant, RIAN; Ekho Moskvy)

Chechnya's Kadyrov testifies in slander case against Memorial centre head: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov testified on Thursday via a video link during court hearings of the slander case against head of the Memorial human rights centre Oleg Orlov. The latter was accused of slander for claiming that Kadyrov was responsible for the death of human rights activist Natalia Estemirova, who was killed in the Northern Caucasus in 2009. (Kommersant, MN, Novaya Gazeta)