The anniversary of the terror act in Beslan. Photo by Emma Marzoeva for the "Caucasian Knot"

02 September 2019, 10:54

Heroization of law enforcers after Beslan terror act raises issue of historical memory

The authorities' desire to heroize the law enforcers who had stormed the school is unacceptable, Ella Kesaeva, the head of the "Voice of Beslan" Committee, is convinced.

On September 1-3, events are being held in North Ossetia on the 15th anniversary of the terror act in Beslan.

On September 1, 2004, terrorists took 1128 hostages at a school in Beslan. As a result, 334 people died, 186 of them children. Another 810 people received various wounds.

According to Ms Kesaeva, the chair of the "Voice of Beslan" that unites some victims' relatives, the absence of President Vladimir Putin at the mourning events is explained by the fact that "he realizes that this was a crime."

She is outraged by the fact that in Beslan they are trying to launch a campaign to heroize the special fighters who stormed the school.

On September 1, North Ossetia held an awarding ceremony of special fighters and rescuers, who took part in the operation to storm the school and rescue the hostages, Vyacheslav Bitarov, the head of North Ossetia, wrote in his Instagram.

The growth of the number of Russians convinced that only terrorists are guilty of the death of hostages in Beslan is explained by the extremely low level of citizens' historical memory, Oleg Orlov, the head of the "Hot Spots" Programme at the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", believes. In his opinion, "it'll take centuries" to change the situation.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 1, 2019 at 10:51 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Semyon Charny Source: CK correspondent

Комментирование через Кавказский узел
All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

April 21, 2025 23:55

  • More than 1000 people request ICRF to take control of Seda Suleimanova’s case

    Activists have sent 1011 appeals to the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) with the demand to take control over the investigation into the Seda Suleimanova’s case. Signatures are being collected in Russian cities under an appeal to the country’s presidential administration in connection with the Seda Suleimanova’s disappearance in Chechnya.

April 21, 2025 23:34

April 21, 2025 21:56

  • Bailo's relatives state protraction of inquiry into cause of his death

    A month after the death of Valery Bailo, a Jehovah's Witness*, at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), his body is in the morgue; its examination is not over; and the advocates and relatives have received not a single official response. Problems in investigating deaths in custody have become systemic, human rights defenders have indicated.

April 21, 2025 21:22

April 19, 2025 23:58

  • Kadyrov outraged by idea of banning namaz in one of districts in Stavropol Territory

    When commenting on a document banning namaz (prayer) in the Andropovsky District of the Stavropol Territory that had already been cancelled by the district’s authorities, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has called the ban an “open discrimination and legal lawlessness.” The leader of Chechnya has suggested that the authorities of other regions should build more mosques if they do not want namaz in the street.

News archive
Пн
Вт
Ср
Чт
Пт
Сб
Вс
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4