Chechen activists doubt links of blogger Tumso's disappearance with presentation of his party

The establishment by Tumso Abdurakhmanov of his party could not significantly increase the threat to his security, since he had long been declared as Kadyrov's enemy, moreover that the new political force had no time to manifest itself. This was stated by members of the Chechen Diaspora in Europe and Turkey.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 1, information appeared on the Internet about the murder of the Chechen blogger, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, committed in Sweden. On December 5, his associates reported his murder. Shamil Albakov, a member of the Assembly of European Chechens, and Abubakar Yangulbaev, a lawyer, have expressed hope that an operation by Swedish special services was behind Tumso's disappearance. Tumso's relatives did not react to the information about his death; and human rights defenders regarded that the blogger's relatives had reasons to remain silent.

For Russian intelligence services and for Ramzan Kadyrov, Abdurakhmanov's blogging activities were irritating enough to continue hunting for him. The creation of the party, announced by the blogger shortly before his disappearance, "could not increase his risks greatly," said Shamil Albakov, the press secretary for the Assembly of European Chechens.

The creation of the party could not become a strengthening factor of Abdurakhmanov's position to such extent as to associate a possible assassination attempt on him with this event, Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, believes.

"More likely, his statement about the creation of the party could strain his colleagues, politicians, supporters of Ichkeria. But Kadyrov, I am sure, was not touched by this," Mr Kutaev has stated.

The reasons for the assassination attempt on Abdurakhmanov are in the fact that he was declared a Kadyrov's personal enemy, Ali Viskhadjiev, one of the leaders of the Chechen Diaspora in Turkey, the head of the NGO "Kavkazder", is sure.