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Ramzan Kadyrov
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Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov (Рамза́н Ахма́тович Кады́ров) (1978–) is a "former" rebel and current leader of Chechnya, part of Russia. He is the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, who was assassinated in May 2004. He presides over a Muslim-dominated region.
Former members of the paramilitary units were dubbed Kadyrovtsy (Russian: Кадыровцы, Kadyrovcy, literally "Kadyrov's followers"), also Kadyrovites.
Kadyrov has been nicknamed the Kremlin's "closest ally – and his biggest liability".[1] Putin does little to investigate the human rights abuses in Chechnya, leading to speculation that he lacks control over Kadyrov.[2]
Human rights abuses
He has called for judges to be punished for banning Islamic works.[3]
Abuse of Activists
The Committee Against Torture's offices in Chechnya has been raided by his supporters in masks, some wielding hammers.[4] Natalia Estemirova, a human rights activist, had been murdered in 2009.[5] The homes of the family of alleged insurgents have been burnt down.[6] Zarema Sadulayeva was kidnapped then found murdered in August 2009.[7] Kadyrov's forces torture Chechens under suspicion of crimes.[8][9]
Suppression of journalists
Local journalists are forbidden from portraying the president in a negative light.[10] In 2016, a journalist was jailed for reporting on Chechnya's record of abuses.[11] A bus of journalists was attacked, and their vehicle was lit on fire.[12] Journalists have fled Chechnya in fear for their safety.[13] Anna Politkovskaya, an investigative journalist who reported on Chechnya's abuse of gay men, was murdered in 2006.
Anti-gay bigotry
In his republic, Chechnya, there have been reports of gay men being subjected to torture and imprisonment.[14] Police out gay people to their often homophobic families, which puts them at risk of honor killings.[15] The Chechen police encourage families to murder their gay sons.[16] Gay men have been beaten up, killed,[17] and have gone missing.[18] The "gay purge" has been named a genocide by French gay rights organizations.[19] Canada,[20] France,[21] and Lithuania[22] take in gay Chechen refugees. United Nations human rights experts demand the end of persecution of gay men.[23] Kadyrov denies that there are gay people in Chechnya.[24]
Lesbians and bi women are threatened by their families with honor killings if outed.[25] They are forced to hide their sexuality. Many are pressured by their family to marry men.
Misogyny
Kadyrov's reuniting of divorced couples has the consequence of forcing divorced women to get back with their abusive husbands to regain child custody. He thinks that divorce contributes to extremism.[26] Many women in abusive marriages stay because they fear losing their children.[27] A 17-year-old teenager has allegedly been coerced into marrying a man who is decades older than her.[28] Some Chechen women's phones have been confiscated because Kadyrov thinks phones make women sluts.[29] In Chechnya, women are forced by law to obey a strict Islamic dress code.[29] If women rebel against the dress code, they are often harassed.[29] Kadyrov endorses shooting women with paintball guns if they don't wear a headscarf.[29]
A young mother was forced into sex slavery by his militiamen.[30]
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/putins-closest-ally-and-his-biggest-liability
- ↑ http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_why_putin_wont_get_tough_on_kadyrov_7278
- ↑ Chechen leader demands judges who banned Islamic work be punished by Alec Luhn The Guardian
- ↑ Hammer-wielding raiders storm human rights group offices in Chechnya The Guardian
- ↑ Russia: Leading Chechnya Rights Activist Murdered HRW
- ↑ Russia: Stop Collective Punishment in Chechnya HRW
- ↑ Outrage over murders of Chechnya aid worker and husband by Tom Parfitt The Guardian
- ↑ Widespread Torture in the Chechen Republic HRW
- ↑ Chechnya: Cell-Phone Videos Reveal Abuses by Valentinas Mite RFE/RL
- ↑ Chechen journalists, international journalists – Ramzan Kadyrov has silenced us all by Anonymous reporter The Guardian
- ↑ Russia: Journalist Punished for Chechnya Reporting Human Rights Watch
- ↑ Journalists and activists beaten and bus torched on Chechnya tour by Shaun Walker The Guardian
- ↑ Russia 'forced marriage' reporter Milashina flees Chechnya BBC
- ↑ Russia investigates 'gay purge' in Chechnya by Shaun Walker The Guardian
- ↑ Stop Anti-Gay Attacks in Chechnya HRW
- ↑ Chechen authorities tell parents: 'Kill your gay sons or we will', survivor claims by Lucy Pasha-Robinson The Independent
- ↑ As Gay Men are Detained and Killed in Chechnya, the Kremlin is Slow to Respond by Rachel Denber HRW
- ↑ Anti-LGBT Violence in Chechnya by Tanya Lokshina HRW
- ↑ Chechnya accused of 'gay genocide' in ICC complaint BBC
- ↑ How Canada has been secretly giving asylum to gay people in Chechnya fleeing persecution by Mark Blinch The Globe and Mail
- ↑ France announces arrival of first gay refugee from Chechnya just as Putin is in town The Local fr
- ↑ Chechen gay men hopeful of finding refuge in five countries by Kevin Ponniah BBC
- ↑ End abuse and detention of gay men in Chechnya, UN human rights experts tell Russia Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
- ↑ Chechen president and MMA promoter says gays are ‘devils,’ should be taken to Canada by Cyd Zeigler OutSports
- ↑ 'A Lot Of Girls Would Probably Rather Die': In Russia's Chechnya, Lesbians Tell Of Suffocating Existence by Sergei Khazov-Cassia and Carl Schreck. RFE/RL
- ↑ Forced Reconciliation: A Chechen Way Of Fighting Extremism RFE/RL
- ↑ In Chechnya, a ruthless strongman orders family reunification HRW
- ↑ Chechen teenager 'forced' to marry police chief amid growing row in Russia by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber The Guardian
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 Virtue Campaign on Women in Chechnya under Ramzan Kadyrov by Tanya Lokshina HRW
- ↑ Sex slavery and death await women seized by Chechen security by Mark Franchetti. The Sunday Times