Journalists and human rights activists on Abdul-Khakim Sultygov's dismissal as Russian president's human rights representative in Chechnya

Abdul-Khakim Sultygov's dismissal as Russian president's human rights representative in Chechnya "has nothing to do with protection of human rights and freedoms in Chechnya", said Anna Politkovskaya, a Novaya Gazeta correspondent. She thinks, "Sultygov has never devoted himself to human rights, he just had a post with such a name. He himself and his office have been engaged only in politics." "The situation in Chechnya will depend neither on Sultygov's dismissal nor Kadyrov's words in Moscow," Ms Politkovskaya added. "It will depend on when the troops are withdrawn and the interim administration with international representatives, who will put an end to military high-handedness, is established."

Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Oleg Mironov agrees to such a point of view. "There must be a system of measures to normalize the human rights situation. All structures must act in this direction," he said. In Mr Mironov's opinion, the main problem in Chechnya is a "problem of providing security", and "this is beyond the competence of the human rights representative, it is in the competence of special services."

Abdul-Khakim Sultygov's work in Chechnya has been "a kind of screen to draw off criticism," therefore "no one cries about his dismissal," said human rights defender Sergey Kovalyov.

Aleksandr Cherkasov, a board member of the Memorial human rights organization, holds that the local government will not cope with the extraordinary human rights situation developed in Chechnya. "A state of emergency, which de facto takes place, should have been introduced in Chechnya long ago," Mr Cherkasov said. "But it would imply the introduction of limiting procedures for security agencies, and they prefer to be fully uncontrollable." At the same Aleksandr Cherkasov noted, "The fact that the office of the human rights representative in Chechnya has been removed changes nothing, as Abdul-Khakim Sultygov has done nothing notable for a year and a half of his work."

The opposite view was given by head of the information and analytical department of Chechnya's permanent representation in Moscow Edi Isayev. He believes the president of the republic and his administration are those who should be responsible for security and human rights in Chechnya. Mr Isayev also said there was "nothing awful" in Abdul-Khakim Sultygov's dismissal.

Editors note: See also the articles "Abdul-Khakim Sultygov dismissed as Special Envoy of the Russian President for Human Rights and Freedoms in Chechnya", "Putin gives Kadyrov control over human rights".