Judgement against human rights worker encourages criminal despot Kadyrov

The judgement against the head of the most well-known Russian human rights organisation MEMORIAL, Oleg Orlov, to pay "compensation” to the Chechnyan President, Ramsan Kadyrow, has caused great disappointment at the Society for Threatened Peoples STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV). "There is an element of farce in the way in which the roles were exchanged in Moscow: it was not Orlov, but Kadyrov who should have been sitting in the dock”, said the GfbV consultant for the Russian Federation and head of the STP office in Berlin, Sarah Reinke on Wednesday. "With its judgement the Moscow court has simply encouraged the despot.” She pointed out that the list of crimes for which Kadyrov should answer is long. Following the death of his Chechnyan colleague Natalya Estemirova on 15th July 2009 Orlov had associated Kadyrov with the murder. For this reason the human rights activist has not only to pay 1,600 euros in compensation, but must also withdraw his statement.

As head of the security service and son of the former president Achmad Kadyrov Ramsan Kadyrov ordered the so-called cleansing in Chechnyan towns and villages, reported the STP. His units, known as the "Kadyrovskys”, were feared for their brutality in arbitrarily beating, abducting and murdering civilians, plundering and burning down houses. International human rights organisations have proved that both Kadyrov himself and members of his security service have systematically tortured prisoners in the notorious prisons, like for example in his native town of Tsenteroi.

In other countries also Kadyrov has spread fear and panic. In recent years both in Russia and in European exile political refugees have been assassinated who were considered to be opponents of the Chechnyan President. There is still the suspicion that Kadyrov had given the order.

In Chechnya Kadyrov has set up a criminal regime in which precisely in recent months the violence has once more escalated. Every family must fear for the safety of everything they possess if there is the slightest suspicion that one of the family is involved with the armed Chechnyan resistance. For this reason the units under Kadyrov’s command have already burned down many houses or farms. Following the murder of Natalya Estemirova, Zarema Sadulayeva (Tippfehler: dt. Sadulajewa) and Umar Jabrailov human right work is no longer possible. MEMORIAL has now temporarily suspended its work for fear of the lives of the staff.

Sarah Reinke can provide further information at s.reinke@gfbv.de