Activists reported mass arrests in Chechnya.

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According to activists, a new wave of mass arrests has taken place in Chechnya, with reports of hundreds of detainees.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia noted in October 2023 that enforced disappearances remain a widespread practice in the North Caucasus to suppress dissent. In the North Caucasus, according to various estimates, there are between three and eight thousand forcibly disappeared people, primarily during the Chechen wars.

Activists have reported a new wave of mass arrests in Chechnya. According to a Telegram channel opposed to the republic's authorities, arrests are taking place in various districts of the republic, and there could be "hundreds of people in recent days." It is alleged that some of the detainees are being taken to military registration and enlistment offices and forced to sign contracts, while their relatives are being demanded to pay monetary compensation.

On April 24, abductions were reported in the village of Pobedinskoye (15 Molsovkhoz). Local residents named Dudarov, Gaitiev, Khizirov, Khakiyev, and Sunaipov were detained.

It was also reported that one of the abducted residents of the village of Prigorodnoye (Sheikh Iznaur), "60-year-old Mimbulatov, died in the custody of law enforcement agencies." Activists note that "even a stressful situation could have led to death, given his age." According to them, "he was detained along with his two sons." The incident caused a widespread outcry among residents, and a large number of people reportedly attended the funeral. Activists also report that the elderly "Mimbulatovs' mother and grandmother are now alone."

Furthermore, activists report the abduction of Alibek Tavmurzaev, a resident of the village of Braguny. According to them, he has been held for several weeks, and there is a risk of fabricating a criminal case and using violence against him. These allegations have also not been officially confirmed.

Amid reports of a wave of forced abductions, Rustam Aguev, head of the Kurchaloevsky District Department of Internal Affairs, posted the following message on his WhatsApp* messenger: "Let no one contact me until I complete my task. I know who I must report to. The rest are off the hook. "No offense..."

According to activists, this message is "Aguev's response to an appeal from the relatives of the abducted" and indirect confirmation of mass abductions.

Activists link reports of mass detentions in Chechnya to a new wave of coercive actions by security forces. According to them, detentions are taking place in several districts of the republic at once and are accompanied by pressure on families.

"The abductions began a little over a week ago and in many districts at once - Grozny, Urus-Martan, Achkhoy-Martan, and Kurchaloevsky. We have received information that the security forces held a closed meeting at which a directive was given to begin a new wave of abductions and forced deportations to the front. "This has happened before, and apparently, we are talking about another wave now," a representative of the Telegram channel Zelimkhan Mustafinov told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot."

According to him, the exact number of detainees cannot be established, but it could be in the hundreds. "The numbers vary. In Grozny, they reported 60-70 people who were taken to one place. In some villages, they said about 10 detainees. It is impossible to name an exact number, but it is safe to say that there are already several hundred," he noted.

Mustafinov also spoke about the possible developments in the situation with the detainees and the pressure on their relatives. "Most often, threats and pressure on the family begin. In some cases, the kidnapped people are ransomed, but this is happening less frequently now - you can sense a harsh attitude. "Previously, it was more common to be able to buy their way out, but now, apparently, they're trying to fulfill some kind of quota. Many are being forced to sign contracts," he said.

Commenting on the published statement by Rustam Aguev, head of the Kurchaloevsky District Department of Internal Affairs, the source linked it to appeals from relatives of those detained. "Against the backdrop of mass kidnappings, people have started approaching him with requests to 'get off' their loved ones. His status means he emphasizes the principled nature of the task at hand and says he can't get off anyone." "The order, according to our information, comes from the federal level, then it is passed vertically - from Daudov to the minister, the heads of the OMVD, and other commanders," Mustafinov concluded.

Rustam Aguev has headed the OMVD for the Kurchaloy District since 2017, replacing his relative, Ibrahim. Aguev, who headed the department from 2014 to 2017, was frequently mentioned previously as a participant in so-called "educational conversations" with detainees, which were accompanied by public pressure and humiliation. In 2022, Aguev became known after public threats against the family of former federal judge Saidi Yangulbaev.

At the time of publication, there were no official comments from the Chechen authorities regarding reports of mass detentions for the purpose of sending them to the SVO.

We also recall that at the end of March, the Chairman of the Chechen Government, Magomed Daudov, reported that since the beginning of the special operation in Ukraine, 70,520 fighters have been sent from Chechnya to the combat zone, 70,520 of whom 24,500 are volunteers.