Kutayev* and Orlov* became participants in the dialogue platform at PACE

Chechen political scientist Ruslan Kutayev* and human rights activist Oleg Orlov*, who worked in Chechnya during the military conflict, have joined the platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Bureau of the platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces, established at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), today published the list of participants.

Human rights activist Oleg Orlov* has been added to the general list of representatives of Russian democratic forces, and Chechen political scientist Ruslan Kutayev* is listed among representatives of indigenous peoples. The list has been published on the official PACE website.

According to a PACE statement, the purpose of the platform is to exchange views between Russian democratic forces in exile and leading members of the Assembly "on issues of mutual interest." Among the expected results of the association's work are "sustainable democratic changes in Russia."

Ruslan Kutayev* is a Chechen public figure, human rights defender, and political prisoner. In July 2014, he was sentenced to four years in a general regime penal colony; an appeals court reduced this sentence by two months. He was released in December 2017.

In 2023, the ECHR found that the criminal prosecution violated Kutayev's* rights. Ruslan Kutayev* has repeatedly commented for the "Caucasian Knot" on the events in Chechnya, including residents' perceptions of the increased drone attacks on the republic's territory since December and Ramzan Kadyrov's statement about his intention to run in the 2026 Chechen presidential elections.

Oleg Orlov is a human rights activist who worked in the military conflict zone in Chechnya and the head of the "Hot Spots" program of the liquidated Memorial Human Rights Center*. In 2023, he was charged with discrediting the army, found guilty, and sentenced to a fine. In January 2024, Orlov* was charged again. On February 26, 2024, the prosecutor's office requested a 2-year, 11-month prison sentence for Orlov*. On February 27, he was sentenced to 2 years, 6 months in a general regime penal colony and taken into custody in the courtroom.

On August 1, 2024, Orlov* was released as part of a prisoner exchange. In May 2025, the court rejected the cassation appeal of Oleg Orlov*'s defense and upheld the human rights activist's conviction for discrediting the army.

* are listed as foreign agents.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.