 Source: HRO.org (info) According to a report in Novaya Gazeta, acting head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, refused to meet a delegation from the Presidential Human Rights Council if Igor Kalyapin, head of the Committee to Prevent Torture and member of the Council, is present. The Human Rights Council delegation is currently undertaking a fact-finding trip and had intended to visit all regions in the North Caucasus to meet with both regional leaders and members of the public, reports Polit.ru. The report states that Kadyrov has refused outright to meet with the Human Rights Council if Igor Kalyapin is present. According to Novaya Gazeta, the Council has therefore decided not to visit Chechnya. The press officer for the head of Chechnya said that he knew nothing about any ultimatum. Mikhail Fedotov, chairperson of the Human Rights Council, refused to comment. Between 2014 and 2016 there has been a notable rise in harassment suffered by human rights activists attempting to defend the rights of residents of Chechnya. The Grozny headquarters of the Joint Mobile Group of human rights defenders were set on fire, activists were attacked and beaten up on the border with Ingushetia, their bus was set on fire, armed men broke into their office in Ingushetia, and Igor Kalyapin himself was attacked in the very centre of Grozny. However, none of the afore-mentioned attacks has been properly investigated and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice. Translated by Suzanne Eade Roberts |
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