Human rights defenders consider Kadyrov’s answer to Instagram user a threat of murder

Ramzan Kadyrov’s threats against a user who called him a “shaitan” (demon) fall under the murder threat clause. However, even if the Instagram user or human rights defenders file a complaint, the Chechen Prosecutor’s Office will ignore it, the human rights defenders note.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on May 17, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov threatened to “destroy” the Instagram user for his comment. Such statements are quite serious, and the social media user is in danger, human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina says.

The murder threats addressed to an anonymous Instagram user cannot free from responsibility a person who voice the threats, says Galina Tarasova, a lawyer from the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Memorial”*.

Magomed Alamov, a lawyer from the Committee Against Torture (CaT), considers the Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement a threat of murder. The lawyer notes that even if there is no complaint is filed about the Ramzan Kadyrov’s threats, the law enforcement bodies should conduct a check.

Svetlana Gannushkina, the chair of the “Civic Assistance Committee”** believes that the Instagram user will unlikely file a complaint about receiving threats from Ramzan Kadyrov. Meanwhile, according to Svetlana Gannushkina, an appeal from the human rights defenders will have no sense.

* the HRC "Memorial" is recognized in the Russian Federation as a foreign agent.

** the organization is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the register of NPOs performing the functions of a foreign agent.