Orlov: Kadyrov's slander case was to be stopped in near future

The criminal case on slandering President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov opened against Oleg Orlov, head of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", was to be stopped soon because of absence of crime elements. This was stated by Mr Orlov himself in his comments on the Chechen leader's recall of his claims against human rights activists and journalists.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Ramzan Kadyrov recalled, after request of his mother, his suits against Oleg Orlov, head of the HRC "Memorial", Liudmila Alekseeva, chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG), and a group of Moscow journalists.

In Mr Orlov's opinion, the news about recall of the claims "has all in one heap: civil and criminal suits, claims on protection of honour and dignity and petitions to open criminal cases."

"As to the  slander criminal case, initiated against me, we clearly understood, I and my defender that in the near future the investigation would stop the case for absence of crime elements in my actions. Possibly, Kadyrov also understood it. However, maybe he was informed about it from Moscow and recommended to find some way out of the inconvenient situation, where he had put himself by his unjustified demand to initiate a criminal case. His statement about recall of claims stems right from here," says the head of the HRC "Memorial" in his message "On Recall of Claims Against Human Rights Defenders and Journalists", sent to the "Caucasian Knot".

"As to Kadyrov's claim against Orlov and HRC 'Memorial', the court has already considered it, and the decision has entered its legal force. Any talks about recall of this claim are legally senseless. Neither I, nor my colleagues from the HRC can accept the decision, and now we prepare a complaint to the European Court on Human Rights," Oleg Orlov reminded about the decision of the Tver Moscow Court of October 6, 2009, on partial satisfaction of Kadyrov's claim on protection of his honour and dignity, and rejection by the Moscow City Court of cassation complaints on this case, later lodged by human rights activists.

Mr Orlov has also expressed his satisfaction with the consideration held on this civil process, where "the issues were seriously discussed of Kadyrov's political responsibility for Natalia Estemirova's murder and for the heaviest situation with independent human rights organizations in the today's Chechnya."