Meeting of Kadyrov’s son with Putin highlights special status of Chechen leader

Vladimir Putin’s personal meeting with 17-year-old son of Ramzan Kadyrov once again highlighted the special status of the leader of Chechnya among Russian governors, and it looks like a signal that power in Chechnya will be inherited, human rights defenders point out.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Ramzan Kadyrov announced that Vladimir Putin personally congratulated Akhmat Kadyrov on his forthcoming marriage.

Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Ramzan Kadyrov’s son is a bad signal for Chechens and the leader of Chechnya himself, believes Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations. “With this meeting, Vladimir Putin marked a person who will come to power. That is, Ramzan Kadyrov may be replaced, as his father Akhmat Kadyrov was replaced earlier. And residents of Chechnya are demonstrated that no democratic institutions will work and that power will be inherited,” Ruslan Kutaev noted.

According to human rights defender Oyub Titiev, Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Ramzan Kadyrov’s son once again underlined the special position of the leader of Chechnya.

Regarding the early marriage of Ramzan Kadyrov’s son, Ruslan Kutaev noted that, according to adats (local customary practices observed by a Muslim community, – note of the “Caucasian Knot”) and Sharia, it is quite possible to get married at the age of 17 and even earlier. But congratulations before marriage are not typical for Chechnya, points out the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations.

The human rights defender has also added that the age of 17 is also acceptable for marriage under the laws of Russia.