HRC "Memorial": Chechnya's authorities under-fulfil what they had promised to human rights activists

The cooperation of the authorities of the Chechen Republic with human rights activists is not thus efficient as could be expected after the meeting on February 22 of President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov with representatives of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial". This is the topic of the report of the HRC "Memorial" dedicated to interim results of cooperation with the Chechen authorities.

"We regret that the authorities of the Chechen Republic are not ready to constructively cooperate with the HRC 'Memorial' as an independent organization," runs the report of human rights activists in reply to Kadyrov's statement that he dismissed Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the HRC "Memorial", from the position of the Chair of the Grozny Human Rights Public Council.

We remind you that on the outcomes of the 22 February meeting Natalia Estemirova was co-opted as the chair to the Grozny Public Council for promoting human and citizens' rights and freedoms.

On March 31, President of Chechnya sharply scarified Ms Estemirova for her position, expressed on March 30 in the programme "Islamic Evolution" on the Ren-TV Channel, on mandatory wearing women's head scarves in Chechnya. Estemirova opposed the intervention of the state into the private life of citizens.

Ramzan Kadyrov demanded from the HRC "Memorial" to nominate a person to the Public Council who agrees with the policy of the authorities of Chechnya with women's wearing scarves. President strongly recommended Estemirova not to visit the ministries and agencies under control of President of the Chechen Republic.