22 February 2017, 08:51
AI states increased pressure on rights defenders and journalists in Chechnya
It is more dangerous now for rights defenders and journalists to deal with problems of Northern Caucasus. The human rights situation has worsened in Chechnya, where in 2016 Zhalaudi Geriev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, was convicted on false charges; and in early 2017, new threats were addressed to the "Caucasian Knot", the human rights organization “Amnesty International” (AI) states in its annual report on human rights in the world, which was presented in Moscow.
Sergey Nikitin, the head of the AI’s representative office in Russia, has noted that the sub-chapter of the report on Northern Caucasus indicates again disappearances and alleged extrajudicial executions as the most serious violations of human rights in the region.
The pressure on rights defenders and persecutions of journalists, covering the situation in Northern Caucasus, are also on the rise, Mr Nikitin has stated, adding that in Chechnya local authorities are directly pressing the courts.
Unlike the last year's report, the current one of the AI has no information on the number of possible Syrian militants – natives of Russia, said Denis Krivosheev, the AI’s deputy regional director for Europe and Central Asia.
According to his story, the topic of conflict with the armed underground in Northern Caucasus is still relevant.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
Author: Rustam Dzhalilov Source: CK correspondent
