Kadyrov Steps Up Pressure on Relatives in Chechnya of His Political Opponents Now Abroad

Paul Goble

            Staunton, August 15 – Ramzan Kadyrov not only has murderously attacked some of his opponents who have been forced to emigrate to Europe – for a partial list of these cases, see kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/345591 -- but now also is stepping up the pressure on their relatives who remain in Chechnya as yet another lever to get them to end their opposition to him. 

            The violent attacks on Chechens forced to emigrate because of the brutal Kadyrov regime have attracted widespread attention, although they have not resulted either in the kind of official denunciation they deserve or improved security for Chechens. Instead, largely because of Kremlin propaganda, many believe that the Chechen emigres are terrorists.

            In fact, the real terrorists in this situation are Kadyrov’s people and his Moscow enablers. And that reality is only underscored by the Chechen bosses attempt to use Chechens related to the emigres as hostages he can threaten with relative impunity in the hopes that will force Chechens abroad to stop their efforts against him.

            Anzor Maskhadov, the son of Aslan Maskhadov, who served as president of Ichkeria after the murder of Dzhokhar Dudayev until he was killed in 2005, says that his relatives in Chechnya are being subject to ever greater pressure to denounce their relatives who like himself have emigrated (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/353047/).

Some of this “pressure” is so intense that at least one of those Kadyrov’s operatives approached died shortly afterwards. Other Chechen emigres with relatives still in the homeland report similar approaches (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/351657/). Using citizens as hostages is clear evidence of just what kind of regime Kadyrov has established with Putin’s support.

It is time for people of good will and their governments to speak out far more clearly than they have and to ensure that all such moves by Kadyrov and his thugs are exposed. At the same time, given Kadyrov’s obvious contempt for international law, countries where Chechens have sought refuge must do more to protect them against his criminal regime.