List in Pdf Format

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

List in Pdf Format List of murdered defenders of human rights Zarema Sadulayeva and Umar Sadulayev, murdered on 11th August 2009. Zarema Sadulayeva (born in 1974) directed from 2005 the humanitarian organisation “Let’s Save the Generation” in Grosny. She helped children and young people who were injured in the wars. She made sure that the injured could undergo life-saving operations in Russian and foreign (also German) hospitals and was a member of the Civilian Forum founded by the GfbV in Switzerland . She was abducted together with her husband from their office in Grosny on 10th August. On 11th August their bodies were found with shot wounds in the boot of their car. Andrei Kulagin, found murdered on 23rd July 2009 In the constituent republic of Karelia on the Finnish border the head of the local organisation “Justice”, Andrei Kulagin, was found dead. Colleagues surmise that Kulagin was murdered in connection with his work for a more humane penal system. Kulagin had been missing since 14th May. Natalya Estemirova , murdered on 16th July 2009 Natalya Estemirova (50) worked for the renowned human rights organisation “Memorial”. She was a friend of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in 2006, and knew Stanislav Markelov, who was also murdered in 2009. She helped families to find missing relatives and published information on abductions and on the torture of civilians. The Chechnyan president, Ramsan Kadyrov, had personally criticised her work. Estimirova had been constantly threatened for years. In 2005 the human rights activist was conferred the Robert Schumann Medal by the EVP-ED party of the European Parliament. For her human rights work she was also given the Politkovskaya Prize. On the morning of 15th July 2009 Natalya Estemirova was abducted from her house in the Chechnyan capital Grosny and in the afternoon of the same day in a strip of woodland near the main road M29 near the village of Gasi-Yurt in Rayon Nasran of the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia [6] was found dead with several gun-shot wounds in the head and breast. Estimirova was a widow. She leaves a daughter of school age. Vyatsheslav Yaroshenko, murdered on 29th June 2009 The 63-year old journalist Vyatsheslav Yaroshenko was attacked on 30th April and beaten up. He died in Rostov-on-Don with severe head injuries. Jaroshenko worked for a newspaper in Rostov-on-Don which fights corruption in the judiciary and other public authorities. Umar Israilov , murdered on 13th January 2009 Israilov had taken part in the armed struggle of the Chechnyans and was compelled after his arrest to work for the so-called Kadyrovzy. He became one of the bodyguards of the Chechnyan President, Ramzan Kadyrov. Israilov was shot on the street in Vienna , where was living as a refugee. He had together with his father filed a complaint against Russia for torture under Kadyrov at the European Court of Human Rights. A US journalist has published this material after his death. Human rights workers surmise that Israilov had through the proofs he had collected become a danger for Kadyrov. Magomed Yevloyev, murdered on 31st August 2008 Magomed Yevloyev was a lawyer and journalist who from 2001 operated the website Ingushetia.ru which was known for its decidedly critical attitude towards the administration of the Russian constituent republic of Ingushetia under President Murat Syasikov and the Caucasus policies of the central government in Moscow . The Ingush authorities made several attempts to close the website. In the summer of 2007 Yevloyev was accused of deliberately stirring up the Caucasian ethnic groups against each other. A case against him to this effect was instigated, but in the spring of 2008 the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation directed that it be dropped. In the autumn of 2007 proceedings against him had again been opened. This time Yevloyev was accused of managing the release of suspects by bringing forged evidence to show their innocence. The Ingush public prosecutor finally obtained a court order closing the website Ingushetia. ru on the grounds of extremism. The decision was ratified on 12th August 2008 by a Moscow court. The increasing pressure from the state authorities caused the editor-in-chief of the website to flee to France at the beginning of August, where she applied for political asylum. The contents of Ingushetia. ru are on a server in the USA to protect them from being seized by the Russian authorities. On 31st August 2008 Magomed Yevloyev died as a result of a shot to the head inflicted in police custody. Yevloyev was arrested at the airport of the Ingush capital Magas on arrival together with the Ingush president, Murat Syasikov. It is reported that a fierce argument took place during the flight between the two. Gaji Adashilov, murdered 22nd March 2008 In the Russian constituent republic of Dagestan in the north Caucasus the head of the state radio and TV network, Gaji Adashilov, was shot in front of a shop in the capital, Machatshkala. Ilyas Sharpayev, murdered on 21st March 2008 Sharpayev was well-known as a reporter on the First Channel of the State TV network with reports on the Caucasus and sometimes critical accounts of the procedure of the local authorities. On 21st March 2008 Sharpayev was stabbed in his house and strangled with a belt. Just a few hours before his death he had commented in his blog on the withdrawal of his column by the Dagestan newspaper Nastoyashtoye Vremya (Our Time) and the inclusion in a “black list” of undesirable journalists by the newspaper with the sentence: “Now I am a dissenter!” The editor-in-chief denied the existence of such lists. Anna Politkovskaya, murdered on 7th October 2006 The well-known Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was honoured by several international prizes, made a name for herself by her reports on the war in Chechnya . Unsparingly she uncovered crimes and so the Kremlin had their sights on her. The present president of Chechnya , Ramzan Kadyrov, criticised her sharply and held her personally responsible for violations of human rights like torture. She helped many individuals who had been victims of the violence in Chechnya . On 7th October 2006 she was shot in her house in Moscow by unknown persons. Stanislav Markelov, murdered on 19th January 2009 The lawyer Stanislav Markelov founded the NGO “Rule of Law Institute”. He acted for his clients at Russian courts and also at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strassburg. His political location he described as social democrat. He defended Chechnyans who had been victims of the Russian military, and was often in Grosny. He was also well- known for being the legal adviser of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya. She praised Markelov as “the first lawyer to work in Chechnya and to protect the rights of the inhabitants”. Markelov received threats especially for his activity in the case of the army colonel Budanov. This person was given a sentence in the year 2003 of ten years imprisonment for the murder of the 18-year old Chechnyan woman Cheda Kungayeva. He was then the highest-ranking officer to be held responsible for crimes in the Chechnyan war. Markelov was shot in broad daylight in Moscow . The journalist Baburova tried to stop the criminals and was also shot shortly afterwards. Anastasia Baburova, murdered on 19th January 2009 The young journalist was doing practical work training at the Novaya Gazeta, a newspaper critical of the regime. She worked for human rights and attacked fascism, belonging to the anarchist organisation Avtonomnoye Deistviye. The main subject in her work was reporting on the neo-Nazi scene in Russia . She had published several articles on racism and ultra- nationalism in Russia . Baburova wrote about skinhead groups and worked together with colleagues of the “Novaya Gazeta” on research which has not yet been published. She accompanied the human rights lawyer Markelov to his press conference on the release of Colonel Budanov. When the shots fell on Markelow she tried to stop the attackers. Herself injured by shots she was admitted hospital, where she died. Her parents, friends and colleagues there bid farewell to the 25-year old, who had just begun her practical work on the “ Novaya Gazeta”. Murad Muradov , murdered in 2005 Murad Muradov was the predecessor of Sarema Sadulayeva in the organisation “Let’s Save the Generation”, which cared for Chechnyan children injured in the war. He was abducted and finally found dead. His body had clear marks of torture. Paul Klebnikov , murdered on 9th July 2004 Klebnikov was a US American journalist and editor-in-chief and publisher of the Russian edition of “Forbes Magazine”. In his book Godfather of the Kremlin: The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism Klebnikov showed the activities of various Russian oligarchs, particularly of Boris Berezovsky and provided information on his dubious rise after the collapse of the Soviet Union . His second and last book Conversation with a Barbarian was published in 2003 and dealt with interviews which Klebnikov had conducted with the Chechnyan rebel leader and former Moscow underworld boss Hozh-Ahmed Nukhaev. Klebnikov was shot by two unknown assailants in front of the building of the Russian Forbes Magazine in Moscow . Nikolai Girenko , murdered 19th June 2004 The 64-year old ethnologist and member of the research staff at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences Nikolai Girenko was shot in St. Petersburg by unknown assailants. As an expert on crimes with a racist background.he was regularly called by the public prosecutor of St. Petersburg as an expert in cases against neo-Nazi groups. Nikolai Girenko also worked for the organisation “Memorial”, “Citizens’ Control” and for the network of Russian NGOs against racism, xenophobia and intolerance.
Recommended publications
  • No Justice for Journalists in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia September 2011
    No Justice for Journalists in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia September 2011 ARTICLE 19 Free Word Centre 60 Farringdon Road London EC1R 3GA United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 7324 2500 Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 E-mail: [email protected] www.article19.org International Media Support (IMS) Nørregarde 18, 2nd floor 1165 Copenhagen K Denmark Tel: +45 88 32 7000 Fax: +45 33 12 0099 E-mail: [email protected] www.i-m-s.dk ISBN: 978-1-906586-27-0 © ARTICLE 19 and International Media Support (IMS), London and Copenhagen, August 2011 This work is provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-ShareAlike 2.5 licence. You are free to copy, distribute and display this work and to make derivative works, provided you: 1) give credit to ARTICLE 19 and International Media Support (IMS); 2) do not use this work for commercial purposes; 3) distribute any works derived from this publication under a licence identical to this one. To access the full legal text of this licence, please visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ legalcode. ARTICLE 19 and International Media Support (IMS) would appreciate receiving a copy of any materials in which information from this report is used. This report was written and published within the framework of a project supported by the International Media Support (IMS) Media and Democracy Programme for Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. It was compiled and written by Nathalie Losekoot, Senior Programme Officer for Europe at ARTICLE 19 and reviewed by JUDr. Barbora Bukovskà, Senior Director for Law at ARTICLE 19 and Jane Møller Larsen, Programme Coordinator for the Media and Democracy Unit at International Media Support (IMS).
    [Show full text]
  • Commdh 2009 36E RF Chec
    Strasbourg, 24 November 2009 CommDH(2009)36 Original version REPORT by Thomas Hammarberg Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Following his visit to the Russian Federation (Chechen Republic and the Republic of Ingushetia) on 2 -11 September 2009 CommDH(2009)36 Executive Summary Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg and his delegation visited the Russian Federation from 2 to 11 September 2009. In the course of the visit the Commissioner held discussions on the most serious human rights problems in the Chechen Republic and the Republic of Ingushetia with national and local authorities, as well as non-governmental organisations. The Commissioner concluded that, in view of the extraordinary challenges which persist in this part of the North Caucasus, the effective protection of human rights in the region will require sustained efforts and a multi-pronged approach. The present report focuses on the following major issues: 1. Situation of human rights defenders: The murder of Natalia Estemirova, the leading member of the NGO Memorial in Chechnya, provoked widespread condemnation, both nationally and internationally, and prompted serious concerns about the viability and safety of the work of human rights NGOs. The Commissioner was informed of efforts under way to elucidate this murder. Bringing the perpetrators to justice is absolutely crucial and would undoubtedly be interpreted as an indication of the determination of the relevant authorities to protect human rights and end patterns of impunity. The Commissioner welcomed the efforts by the Ingush authorities to engage in a regular dialogue with human rights NGOs. However, the overall recommendation by the Commissioner on the subject was that much stronger actions are needed to protect activist members of human rights organisations.
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Aggression in Eastern Europe: Where Does Putin Go Next After Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova?
    S. HRG. 114–130 RUSSIAN AGGRESSION IN EASTERN EUROPE: WHERE DOES PUTIN GO NEXT AFTER UKRAINE, GEORGIA, AND MOLDOVA? HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION MARCH 4, 2015 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 97–882 PDF WASHINGTON : 2015 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Nov 24 2008 14:59 Dec 15, 2015 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\114FIRST\2015 ISSUE HEARINGS GONE TO PRE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS BOB CORKER, TENNESSEE, Chairman JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey MARCO RUBIO, Florida BARBARA BOXER, California RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JEFF FLAKE, Arizona JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire CORY GARDNER, Colorado CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware DAVID PERDUE, Georgia TOM UDALL, New Mexico JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut RAND PAUL, Kentucky TIM KAINE, Virginia JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts LESTER E. MUNSON III, Staff Director JODI B. HERMAN, Democratic Staff Director —————— SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin, Chairman RAND PAUL, Kentucky JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut CORY GARDNER, Colorado TIM KAINE, Virginia JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming EDWARD J.
    [Show full text]
  • Illusion of Power: Russia After the South Caucasus Battle
    Illusion of Power: Russia after the South Caucasus Battle CEPS Working Document No. 311/February 2009 Stanislav Secrieru Abstract The war in the South Caucasus sent shockwaves throughout the post-Soviet world, European capitals and across the Atlantic, making more urgent the demand for a re- evaluation of policies towards Russia. The projection of hard power in Georgia generated a number of unintended consequences for the Russian state. The crisis and war unveiled many of Russia’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities across four crucial dimensions: the military, the ‘power vertical’ and federalism, the economy and Russia’s international position. This paper aims at reassessing Russia’s military, political, economic and diplomatic might after the battle in the South Caucasus. The research concludes with proposals for a new Western strategy on Russia and the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood which would ensure an undivided and sustainable European order. CEPS Working Documents are intended to give an indication of work being conducted within CEPS research programmes and to stimulate reactions from other experts in the field. Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed are attributable only to the authors in a personal capacity and not to any institution with which they are associated. ISBN 978-92-9079-855-2 Available for free downloading from the CEPS website (http://www.ceps.eu) © Centre for European Policy Studies, 2009 Contents 1. The weakness of power .......................................................................................................... 1 2. The test of war: how reassuring is the military victory?......................................................... 1 2.1 “Hard power” in action ................................................................................................. 1 2.2 Military modernization and reform agenda reloaded.................................................... 4 3. The domestic front: sovereign democracy in action and its perils.........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Caucasus Media Iron Curtain Report of a Fact-Finding Visit to Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia
    Russia © RSF Russian Caucasus media iron curtain Report of a fact-finding visit to Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia June 2009 Investigation : Tikhon Dzyadko, Jean-François Julliard, Elsa Vidal Reporters Without Borders - Europe & Ex-USSR Desk 47, rue Vivienne - 75002 Paris Tel : (33) 1 44 83 84 67 - Fax : (33) 1 45 23 11 51 Email : [email protected] Website : www.rsf.org After 15 years of violence, the international com - privately owned or were created by NGOs. munity has gradually lost interest in the Russian Usually self-funded, they are exposed to pressure. Caucasus. Reporters Without Borders visited the Viskhan Abukhadzhiyev, the former head of region to meet with some of the leading actors in Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, which are nowadays described by Moscow as “normalised” or “on the road to normalisation.” The fighting and bombings have for the most part stopped and the Russian federal government lifted Chechnya’s status as a Zone of Anti-Terrorist Operations (KTO) on 16 April, but the region is still dominated by tension and violence. Not a week goes by without clashes causing casualties. On 22 June, the Ingush president was seriously injured in a car-bombing. In neighbouring Dagestan, the interior minister was gunned down on 5 June, prompting a surprise visit by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev a few days later. And Moscow had to temporarily reimpose KTO status on three Chechen districts later in April. Peace and order definitely do not prevail in the Russian Caucasus but you see relatively few media a accounts of what the region’s inhabitants are suf - i n t fering.
    [Show full text]
  • Threats to Free Media in the Osce Region Hearing
    THREATS TO FREE MEDIA IN THE OSCE REGION HEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 9, 2010 Printed for the use of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe [CSCE 111–2–7] ( Available via http://www.csce.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 76–044 PDF WASHINGTON : 2012 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate 0ct 09 2002 10:57 Dec 04, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 U:\WORK\060910 KATIE COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS HOUSE SENATE ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida, BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland, Co-Chairman Chairman EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island New York TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire G.K. BUTTERFIELD, North Carolina SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama RICHARD BURR, North Carolina JOSEPH R. PITTS, Pennsylvania ROBERT F. WICKER, Mississippi DARRELL E. ISSA, California EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS Michael H. Posner, Department of State Alexander Vershbow, Department of Defense Michael C. Camun˜ ez, Department of Commerce (II) VerDate 0ct 09 2002 10:57 Dec 04, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 U:\WORK\060910 KATIE THREATS TO FREE MEDIA IN THE OSCE REGION JUNE 9, 2010 COMMISSIONERS Page Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • Stability in Russia's Chechnya and Other Regions of the North Caucasus: Recent Developments
    Stability in Russia’s Chechnya and Other Regions of the North Caucasus: Recent Developments Jim Nichol Specialist in Russian and Eurasian Affairs December 13, 2010 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34613 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Stability in Russia’s Chechnya and Other Regions of the North Caucasus Summary Terrorist attacks in Russia’s North Caucasus—a border area between the Black and Caspian Seas that includes the formerly breakaway Chechnya and other ethnic-based regions—appeared to increase substantially in 2007-2009. Moreover, civilian and government casualties reached levels not seen in several years and terrorist attacks again took place outside the North Caucasus. Although the number of terrorist incidents may have leveled off or even declined slightly in 2010 from the high levels of 2009, the rate of civilian and government casualties continued to increase throughout the North Caucasus in 2010 and a rising number of terrorist incidents took place outside of Chechnya. Illustrative of the new range and scope of violence, the Moscow subway system was bombed in March 2010, resulting in over 40 deaths and dozens of injuries. Before the recent rise in terrorism, it seemed that government security forces had been successful in tamping down their range and scope by aggressively carrying out over a thousand sweep operations (“zachistki”) in the North Caucasus. During these operations, security forces surround a village and search the homes of the residents, ostensibly in a bid to apprehend terrorists. Critics of the operations allege that the searches are illegal and that troops frequently engage in pillaging and gratuitous violence and are responsible for kidnapping for ransom and “disappearances” of civilians.
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record—House H398
    H398 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 12, 2017 This is not just withholding payment this, Mr. Speaker, because we have a RUSSIA AND PRESIDENT PUTIN for a period of time; this is a complete President-elect who has said he will be The SPEAKER pro tempore. The forfeiture. a law and order President. I want to Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from I propose a balanced budget amend- make a distinction between law and Ohio (Ms. KAPTUR) for 5 minutes. ment so we are forced to stop kicking order and justice, and I want to at- Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I come to the can down the road and will create tribute this to the Justice Department the floor today as co-chair and found- a fiscal path that will allow the next versus a law and order department. ing member of the Polish, Hungarian, generation to thrive. Mr. Speaker, you can have law and and Ukrainian House Caucuses. I also have a bill I call the Citizen order in a dungeon, but you won’t have I am also a strong defender of NATO Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform justice. There is law and order in North and of its purpose in linking the free Act, or CLEAN Act, a bill that ends Korea, but you don’t have justice. Jus- nations of Europe and the United congressional pensions for life and re- tice, Mr. Speaker, is what this Depart- States through this historic, hard-won quires this body to debate and act on ment is all about. It is not the law and alliance and security treaty among Eu- single-issue legislation, codify that all order department.
    [Show full text]
  • Putin's Russia
    Putin's Russia: A Chronological Sampling of the Suppression of Political Opposition, Independent Media, and Civil Society 2000 Prime minister and acting president Vladimir Putin wins the March presidential election with 52.9 percent of the vote. Putin challenges Russia’s powerful business magnates, known as oligarchs, with a series of investigations and raids by tax officials. The targets include enterprises in the automobile, energy, and media industries, particularly those owned by Vladimir Gusinky and Boris Berezovsky. Both men are eventually forced to flee abroad and give up their Russian assets. Putin attempts to exert more control over regional governors, pushing through legislation that removes them from their ex-officio seats in the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament. He also creates seven new federal districts, or “super regions,” headed by Kremlin appointees who will oversee the regional governments. Most of the appointees have prior experience in the military or security sectors. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Andrey Babitsky is abducted and detained while covering the war in Chechnya, which Putin had reignited with a massive invasion of the breakaway republic in late 1999. Babitsky is later convicted of passport violations and released under an amnesty. At least three journalists are killed in connection with their work during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 2001 In March, Putin orchestrates a major cabinet reshuffle, placing loyalists—including a number of his former KGB colleagues—in important defense and internal security positions. State-owned natural gas firm Gazprom bolsters its hold over the formerly independent media empire of Vladimir Gusinsky, effectively taking control of its NTV television station in April.
    [Show full text]
  • OY (Chechen Muslim Women) Russia CG [2009] UKAIT 00005
    OY (Chechen Muslim women) Russia CG [2009] UKAIT 00005 ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION TRIBUNAL THE IMMIGRATION ACTS Heard at: Field House Date of Hearing: 02 October 2008 Before: SENIOR IMMIGRATION JUDGE MOULDEN SENIOR IMMIGRATION JUDGE PERKINS MR M E A INNES Between OY Appellant and THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT Respondent Representation For the Appellant: Mr T Hodson, Legal Representative from Elder Rahimi, Solicitors For the Respondent: Mr S Kandola, Senior Home Office Presenting Officer Despite existing country guidance, there are circumstances in which a female Muslim Chechen may be at risk and may not be able to relocate within Russia. DETERMINATION AND REASONS 1. The appellant is a citizen of the Russian Federation born in 1977. She is of predominantly Chechen but part Russian ethnicity and a Muslim. Her husband is a citizen of the Russian Federation of Russian ethnicity. He is her dependant for the purposes of this appeal. 2. The appellant and her husband arrived in the United Kingdom on 29 January 2007 and claimed asylum the next day. On 27 February 2007 the respondent refused the appellant’s asylum claim and indicated that directions would be given for her removal to Russia. The reasons for refusal letter is dated 21 February 2007. The Previous Proceedings 3. The appellant appealed and her appeal was heard by an Immigration Judge on 30 April 2007. Both parties were represented at the hearing and the appellant gave evidence. The Immigration Judge found that the appellant was, in most material © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2009 respects, not a credible witness. She found against the appellant in relation to the asylum, humanitarian protection and human rights grounds and dismissed the appeal.
    [Show full text]
  • The Chechen Bin LADEN
    Following the news that Chechen Jihadist Doku Umarov has been killed, Anthony Tucker-Jones charts the rise and fall of Russia’s most wanted terrorist The Chechen Bin Laden hile all eyes have been on Russia’s Winter In late March 2014 it was reported that the self-styled W Olympics and the gathering storm clouds emir of the Caucasus Emirate had died. This was not over Ukraine, in the Russian North Caucasus it is the first time Doku Umarov, effectively the Osama bin business as usual. The violence that has blighted the tiny Laden of the Caucasus, had been reported dead. But Russian republics of Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, this information came from the Kavkaz Centre, the Deadly journey: the Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan over the last two key website of Russia’s Islamists. It claimed that Ali attacks in Volgograd in December 2013 are decades bear striking similarities to Lebanon and Syria, Abu-Mukhammad was now the new emir, as Umarov thought to have been and indeed the central Asian republics or “Stans” when had become a “martyr”. Perhaps understandably, the carried out under the Soviet Union collapsed. In particular, since the 1990s Russian authorities including Russia’s counter-terrorism Umarov’s orders there has been bad blood between many Chechens and the Russians following Moscow’s two wars against the republic. Likewise, Ingush rebels have adopted the same militant Islamist ideology as their counterparts in Chechnya and Dagestan. These long-running insurgencies have in recent months seeped into the Russian-Ukrainian confrontation. According to Russian media sources, in late 2013 Ingush opposition leader Magomed Khazbiev was involved in anti-Russian demonstrations in Ukraine.
    [Show full text]
  • Russia's Wild Wild South: Two Tales of Economic Woes, Political
    Russia’s Wild Wild South: Two Tales of Economic Woes, Political Corruption and Spreading Insurgent Violence in Ingushetia and Dagestan By By John M. Grandstaff Submitted to the graduate degree program in the Center for Global and International Studies and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Chairperson Mariya Omelicheva Co-Chairperson Robert Baumann Professor Eric Hanley Date Defended: 20 April 2011 The Thesis Committee for John M. Grandstaff ii Certifies that this is the approved version of the following thesis: Russia’s Wild Wild South: Two Tales of Economic Woes, Political Corruption and Spreading Insurgent Violence in Ingushetia and Dagestan Chairperson Mariya Omelicheva Co-Chairperson Robert Baumann Date Approved: April 20, 2011 iii Abstract The Northern Caucasus has been a troubled region for the Russian Federation for nearly two decades. In the 1990s, two wars took place in Chechnya and violence spread into the neighboring republics of Ingushetia and Dagestan. Since the end of the second Chechen conflict in 2002, blossoming insurgencies have begun in both republics, threatening the stability of the entire Northern Caucasus. This study analyzes the origins of the insurgencies using the contemporary scholarly findings on internal conflict as they relate to the two republics. Economic conditions, political repression, factors related to diverse ethnic makeup of the republics, as well as the spillover effect are examined in the study to address the spread of insurgent violence within Ingushetia and Dagestan in an attempt to assist in the development of better government policies.
    [Show full text]