Version of "Ukrainian trace" in attack on Chechen law enforcers called into question

The authorities' attempt to identify a "Ukrainian trace" in the attack on law enforcers in Achkhoi-Martan raises doubts, while the incident itself gave Kadyrov a pretext to intensify repressions, analysts have noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 7, a man with a knife attacked the road-and-patrol (DPS) police post in Achkhoi-Martan. One of the law enforcers died later as a result of the attack. The Chechen Branch of the of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) reported that the attack was conducted by a "local resident" and that he was shot dead by "return fire".

Ruslan Kutaev, a political analyst, has suggested that the incident could have arisen on some domestic grounds. "Perhaps this young man clashed with these policemen," he said.

At the same time, according to Kutaev, this attack became a convenient pretext for a new round of "tightening the screws" in Chechnya. "They want to use this pretext to raise a new wave of persecutions of the people who have absolutely nothing to do with it," the political analyst believes.

He treats the persecution of the attacker's relatives as unfair and illegal. "Many relatives do not even know that he had existed," Ruslan Kutaev has added.

According to his story, in the past, authorities did not always take away property from those exiled.

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the head of the “Civic Assistance” Committee*, also doubted the "Ukrainian trace." "Why should Ukrainians commit attacks in Chechnya in this way? These are now the usual authorities’ statements, fuelling hatred for the country [where Russia is waging war]," she believes.

Punishment of relatives is based on the principle of collective guilt and is always used in Chechnya, the human rights defender has noted.

In her turn, an activist of the “Vayfond” Chechen human rights organization said that such attacks are "very dubious" and give the "green light" to a new round of repressions. She did not rule out not only eviction, but also a threat to the lives of the attacker's relatives.

In her opinion, the persecution of relatives is done to create an atmosphere of fear and "snitching", "so that people are controlled not only by the authorities, but also by their families." Punishing relatives who are not involved in the crime is against the law, the human rights defender has emphasized. "There is nothing like that in the Islamic law. They refer to old traditions that died out long ago," she has summed up.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.