The Russian delegation at first refused to believe that the Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria had been officially invited and that he would be able to attend this meeting.

But Akhmed Zakayev’s punctuality and tact enraged members of the Russian State Duma.
All members of PACE greeted the Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Akhmed Zakayev, the exception was only the Russian side. The head of the Russian delegation, Konstantin Kosachev protested the Akhmed Zakayev’s presence.

"Akhmed Zakayev’s (Prime Minister of CRI - editorial) arrival to PACE significantly impairs the dialogue and a climate of trust, which gradually develops among the rapporteurs of the North Caucasus dossier and the Russian delegation."

Because in Akhmed Zakayev’s presence the Russian side would be difficult to openly lie and mislead the Parliamentarians of the Council of Europe.

Kosachev’s version brought a smile to the faces of members of PACE. He said that Ahmed Zakayev entered the Council of Europe under a false name and surname. Apparently Mr. Kosachev does not know that Ahmed Zakayev defended his name in the court of England, and he does not need to travel incognito. Fortunately, for the Prime Minister of CRI, Akhmed Zakayev the doors into a civilized and democratic world are open.

Russia for the first time in 14 years has supported the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which expresses concern about human rights violations in Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan.

Marty, mostly known by his investigation of scandal of secret CIA prisons in mid-2000's, in spring traveled all over Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and other republics of the Russian North Caucasus, and information on tortures, killings, and disappearances.


“Climate of Fear”

According to the newspaper Kommersant, the Russian delegation has made mitigations of some formulations. For example, instead of Ramzan Kadyrov’ s "personality cult" in Chechnya, the report referrers to "an atmosphere of power personalization."

Nevertheless, the hard style of the report is preserved: thus, the same "power personalization in Chechnya” is called as “a shameful thing of democracy."

In general, in Chechnya the authorities "maintain an atmosphere of fear", said in Marty's report, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg continues to receive complaints on violations of human rights in the republic.

The PACE rapporteur anxiously registers killings of well-known human rights defenders, Anna Politkovskaya, Natalya Estemirova, Stanislav Markelov, Magomed Yevloyev, Maksharip Aushev are noted among them.

Department of Official Information

ChechenCenter.info