Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - augustus 2018

• 2018-09-04
• Democratie & mensenrechten Europa in de wereld

2 augustus 2018

Chechen human rights activist Titiyev case: Chechnya's Supreme Court has upheld the decision to reject the request that the case against the head of Memorial's branch in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev be tried in a different Russian region. Media report on hearings in the Shali city court of the case against Titiyev accused of 'illegal drug possession'. MK reports that 22 Chechen police officers have already testified as witnesses in the case and remarks that the witnesses could not provide any details of the detention of Titiyev on 9 January 2018. (MK, RIAN; Ekho Moskvy)

6 augustus 2018

Killer of convicted Russian colonel buried as hero in Chechnya: Tens of thousands of people, including Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov, arrived in a Chechen village for the burial of local resident Yusup Temerkhanov, who died on 3 August in a prison while serving his 15-year prison sentence for the killing of Russian colonel Yury Budanov in 2011. Budanov had been convicted for the murder of 18-year-old Chechen girl Elza Kungayeva. He was also stripped of his rank. Media highlight that Temerkhanov is perceived as a 'hero' in Chechnya. (MK, Novaya Gazeta)

10 augustus 2018

Demographic issues: According to the Russian Labour Ministry's estimates, highest fertility rates could be recorded by 2020 in the Republic of Tuva (3.4 children per woman), Chechnya (2.92) and the Altai Republic (2.9). (ii) Ogonyok magazine [part of Kommersant Publishing House] argues that quite a significant number of South Africa's Boers could resettle in Russia. (Izvestia, Ogonyok)

16 augustus 2018

Putin visits youth forum in North Caucasus: On Wednesday, President Putin visited the Mashuk 2018 North Caucasus Youth Educational Forum in Pyatigorsk (Stavropol territory). The media cites Putin as saying that social networks "need positive content." Meanwhile, Nezavisimaya Gazeta remarks that Putin's visit to the Mashuk 2018 Forum showed that the official agenda differs from reality. Nezavisimaya Gazeta and Rossiyskaya Gazeta draw attention to a survey carried out by the Higher School of Economics, which revealed that 15% of young Russians (more than 2 million people), aged 15-24 years, were excluded from education and the labor market in Russia. This is the so-called category NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). (Gazeta.ru, Izvestia, Kommersant, NG, RG; Rossiya 1, Channel One)

21 augustus 2018

Attacks on police in Grozny:  one killed:  In a series of attacks an armed assailants injured several policemen and killed one in three locations in the Russian republic of Chechnya on Monday. Reportedly the militant Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had launched probes into three attacks against police. Reportedly in the first attack on Monday morning, two men entered the district police department in the town of Shali and wounded a pair of policemen with knives. According to report the assailants were young people from 11 to 17 years old.  Meanwhile Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who was visiting Saudi Arabia on Monday, said extremist propaganda that “confuses the young men” was to blame for the assaults. He said the attacks were staged on Monday to “darken” the Eidul Azha holiday.  According to Kadyrov, the situation in Grozny and Chechnya is absolutely calm.  (Interfax)RIA Novosty, RBK)

31 augustus 2018

The OSCE demands response on violations of rights in Chechnya: Reportedly 15 OSCE Member States within the framework of the Vienna mechanism, demanded Russian authorities to answers questions about violations of human rights in Chechnya. The Vienna Mechanism provides for the provision of information on human rights violations in the OSCE participating country at the request of other members of the OSCE in the course of information exchange or bilateral meetings. The following member states including USA, France, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada initiated this procedure with respect to Russia. The statement says that the organization's participants "continue to express concern" about violations of human rights in Chechnya and namely illegal persecution, arrests, tortures, kidnappings and illegal executions. (Grani.ru)