Rights defenders assess prospects of inquiry into Kadyrov's threats

The appointed reconsideration of the claim put forward by human rights defenders against the investigators who had refused to check the threats voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov does not guarantee that his statements will be really examined. This was stated by Oleg Orlov, a board member of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", and Dmitry Makarov, a co-chairman of the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG).

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 22, 2020, the HRC and the MHG pointed out in their application submitted to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) that calls for murder expressed by Ramzan Kadyrov could be perceived by his subordinates as a guide to action. On April 7, the Chechen Supreme Court (SC) ruled to reconsider the rights defenders' claim against investigators.

The court has listened to rights defenders' arguments and an advocate and decided to cancel the Grozny District Court, said Mikhail Benyash, an advocate.

Oleg Orlov believes that after Kadyrov's statements on November 4, 2019, Chechen law enforcers took real actions to attacks critics of the regime in the region.

"After his words, we saw attacks on the journalists, Milashina and Dubrovina, in Grozny, an attempt on the life of the bloggers, Tumso Abdurakhmanov and Musa Lomaev, and a kidnapping and alleged murder of Salman Tepsurkaev," Mr Orlov has stated.