"Memorial": Ramzan Kadyrov urges to praise authorities on social networks amid discontent of Chechen residents
The authorities of Chechnya are trying to compensate for the growing discontent of people in the republic by voicing requests to praise the power in social networks and subscribe to accounts of state-run media, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" suggests.
In April 2019, Ramzan Kadyrov launched a reorganisation of local media to stop "liars disseminating gossip."
The authorities of Chechnya are "concerned over both the noticeably growing discontent among the population and their own negative image," the HRC "Memorial" stated after receiving reports about requests to residents of Chechnya to write comments in defence of the authorities on social networks.
The human rights defenders suggest that now, in order not to be suspected of disloyalty, "it will not be enough for residents of Chechnya not to say something unnecessary even at home."
"It will not be enough to attend rallies organized by the authorities. Now, a loyal citizen of the republic headed by the Padishah (as Chechen officials call Ramzan Kadyrov) will have to publicly stigmatize those persons who allow themselves to criticize the authorities of Chechnya," the HRC "Memorial" noted.
On July 16, Ramzan Kadyrov proposed to oblige civil servants to subscribe to an account of the "Grozny" TV Channel on Instagram. "If a person has a page on social networks and is not subscribed to the 'Grozny' TV Channel on YouTube and Instagram, then this is a dangerous person for us," the leader of Chechnya stated.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 17, 2020 at 05:34 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.