After Aliev's murder, Chechens in Europe report increased personal security measures

The members of the Chechen Diaspora in Europe interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have admitted that after the assassination of Imran Aliev, they feel a threat to themselves; therefore, they intend to limit their circle of contacts.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 1, it became known that the body of Imran Aliev, a migrant from Chechnya and a blogger, known as Mansur Stary, was found with stab wounds in a hotel in the French city of Lille. Imran Aliev was killed by a resident of the Gudermes District of Chechnya, who has already returned to Chechnya, the Chechen blogger, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, stated on February 2.

According to Khusein Iskhanov, a painter and the head of the "Cultural Association of Ichkeria", an artist, who left Russia after the first Chechen war, the killing of the blogger Aliev was "clearly political," while the aim was to intimidate those bloggers and activists, who criticize the authorities of Chechnya and Russia.

"There was a sitting in Grozny, where Kadyrov was discussing the bloggers' activities with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), where he stated that the bloggers should be 'ignored'. But we know how they 'ignore" people in reality. This discussion itself is a signal to stop bloggers' criticism, which so far they have failed to do," said Mr Iskhanov.

According to Rubati Mitsaeva, a Chechen refugee, who works as a nurse for many years in Germany, she received threats on the Instagram many times. "They write, for example, 'it's your turn now ... ' they write dirty things about my children; and they try to break and show me as a woman of allegedly inappropriate behaviour. They also disseminate fake information that I allegedly help Chechens in Russia," Ms Mitsaeva told the "Caucasian Knot".

"Their aims are completely clear – to achieve zero public criticism of the authorities of Chechnya and Russia. Therefore, I try to not leave my house and not accept guests without a real necessity," she has added.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 7, 2020 at 06:09 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.