Amid human rights situation in Chechnya, Kadyrov awarded rights advocacy medal

Ramzan Kadyrov was awarded the medal "Deserved Human Rights Defender of the Chechen Republic". The head of Chechnya was decorated for his outstanding merits in protecting citizens' rights and freedoms, Mansur Soltaev, the Chechen Ombudsperson, has stated.

According to the RIA "Novosti", Kadyrov was awarded the medal for outstanding services in protecting citizens' constitutional rights and freedoms, his courage and adherence to principles in ensuring the national interests of the people of Chechnya, defence of traditional values and fidelity to his duty.

The same award was posthumously given to Akhmat-Khadji Kadyrov, the first president of Chechnya, as well as to Aimani Kadyrova, the president of the regional public fund named after Akhmat-Khadji Kadyrov, the "Lenta.ru" has written.

Let us remind you that Russian and international human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Chechen authorities of massive and gross human rights violations. Thus, in January it became known about the abduction by Chechen law enforcers of at least 25 residents of the village of Alkhan-Kala.

In December 2021, Kadyrov's critics announced mass abductions of their relatives in Chechnya and Astrakhan.

The 2006-2012 report of Russian NGOs on Russia's compliance with the Convention against Torture stated that Chechen officials had repeatedly spoken publicly about the need for extrajudicial executions.

In January 2022, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on protecting the rights of LGBT people in Europe, with particular attention to persecution based on people's sexual orientation in Chechnya.