Residents of Chechnya adopt practice of public apologies

Instagram users have refused to accept apology of Marat Tsumaev, a resident of Chechnya, for his abusive posts on the Telegram. The young man was "found and called to respond" by local residents themselves, the administrators of Chechen publics have emphasized.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that residents of Chechnya regularly make public apologies, including on air of the "Grozny" ChGTRK (Chechen State TV and Radio Company), for their complaints about officials, criticism of the authorities, and inappropriate behaviour. Thus, on March 6, Aslan Sadaliev repented for his posts on the WhatsApp and Instagram about the coronavirus epidemic in Chechnya.

A video clip with the young man's apologies for his posts on the Telegram was posted on the eldit_net and ChP Chechnya Instagram publics. The young man introduces himself as Marat Tsumaev. "The Telegram had a group 'Osal Nakh 95' (Empty People). I sent a link to a [Grozny] school to this group. I filled in the link with photos of innocent people. Having resentment at the school principal, I wanted to harm him and made this link. I also placed photos of two innocent women into that link. I wrote unacceptable things about them. Now, I'd like to apologize. What I did is wrong. I'll never admit such an unmanly act," Marat Tsumaev says in his video clip.

Some residents of Chechnya have also treated the act, for which Tsumaev has apologized, as unethical. "They did it right to find that guy and force him to respond for his words. This is meanness – to take revenge on someone in this way because of a petty resentment," Fatima, an NGO activist, said in particular.