Rights defenders treat return of son to Elita Magomadova as unique for Chechnya

Elita Magomadova, a native of Chechnya, managed to enforce the court judgement on the return of her child to her, which her ex-husband had taken away after the divorce. The rights defenders, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot", have treated the fact of the return of the child as contrary to the established traditions and the inefficient Russian legal system.

On April 28, it was reported that employees of the Shali ROVD (District Interior Division) had returned to Elita Magomadova her seven-year-old son, who was taken away in 2013 by her ex-husband; and after his death, the boy was with his relatives. By this time, the case has been communicated to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Despite Magomadova's appeals to Pavel Astakhov, the Children's Ombudsman in Russia, for a long time, the situation remained unchanged, said a source close to law enforcement bodies of Chechnya.

According to his story, after the court marshals detained the child's uncle, his relatives brought the boy "in exchange" for the adult.

The case of the return of the child to Magomadova is unique, noted Olga Gnezdilova, the director of the project "Legal Initiative for Russia".

The problem of separation of children from their mothers is acute in the region, especially in Chechnya and Ingushetia, said Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, a senior analyst of the International Crisis Group (ICG).

She explained that according to the Adats – traditions based on customs – children belong to the clan of their father. Besides, often the women who find themselves in such situations, lack legal literacy and means to defend their rights, the expert has added.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.