Chechen authorities ignore shootout in Achkhoi-Martan

Journalists have linked the conflict and shootout in the village of Achkhoi-Martan with the abuse of alcohol by Chechen law enforcers. However, Chechen authorities, despite their practice of publicly scolding alcohol consumers, have ignored the incident.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 27, not far from a café in Achkhoi-Martan, a shootout occurred between SOBR (rapid deployment special police detachment) and OMON (riot police) fighters. As a result of the shootout, five people were wounded; two of them later died in hospital, investigators have reported. The quarrel began with a verbal skirmish after two drunken OMON fighters broke into the café and began rowing, the "Baza" Telegram Channel has informed.

In Chechnya, in fact, there is a dry law; alcohol consumption is also condemned by the society; and Chechen law enforcers are regularly publicly reprimanding local residents for such offenses.

Nevertheless, as of 2:40 a.m. Moscow time on October 29, no comments on the incident in Achkhoi-Martan had appeared on Ramzan Kadyrov's page in the VKontakte social network, on the pages of Adam Delimkhanov, an adviser to the head of Chechnya, and of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Chechnya on the Instagram. The TV channel of the "Grozny" ChGTRK (Chechen State TV and Radio Company), which used to show videos with public apologies, also failed to react to the conflict on its website.

Earlier, the analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" suggested that the anti-alcohol campaign launched in Chechnya is mainly aimed not at combating drunkenness, but at supporting the image of the authorities, who have assumed the role of defenders of traditional values.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 29, 2020 at 04:15 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.