Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] The demonstration to high school students and university students of the corpse of a participant in the attack on security forces killed in Achkhoy-Martan came into conflict with the norms of Islam and common sense; with such actions, the authorities are promoting cruelty and traumatizing the psyche of young people, human rights activists and a Caucasus expert pointed out.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", one security officer was killed and at least two were wounded as a result of an attack by a man armed with a knife on traffic police officers in Achkhoy-Martan. The minor attacker was killed by "return fire". His photo was distributed on April 9 by the Chechen state television and radio company "Grozny", and Telegram channels opposed to the Chechen authorities published video footage, which, as they claimed, showed the body of the killed participant in the attack lying on the ground. The body was brought for display to the public sector employees, students and high school students who were forcibly collected from the administration in the morning.
Ramzan Kadyrov announced on April 8 that the attacker had come to the republic for Eid al-Fitr from Moscow. Despite the fact that the man lived in another region, a controversial decision was made to expel his relatives from Chechnya and confiscate their property. Threats were also made to distant relatives of the attacker. A Chechen opposition Telegram channel reported that security forces had detained all of the attacker's relatives, including his underage cousins. The "Caucasian Knot" prepared a report on how Kadyrov has tightened collective responsibility in Chechnya.
The rally over the body of the murdered man in Achkhoy-Martan was commented on for the "Caucasian Knot" by the chairperson of the "Civil Accord" committee* Svetlana Gannushkina, the press secretary of the Assembly of Chechens in Europe Shamil Albakov, as well as a human rights activist who is well acquainted with the realities of Chechnya, and a Russian expert on the Caucasus, who wished to remain anonymous.
Such demonstrations by the authorities, like in Achkhoy-Martan, certainly do not evoke approval from the population; rather, they may have the opposite effect - an increase in protest sentiments, the human rights activist pointed out. "This act is savagery, medieval. The organizers of this show are completely sick in the head. This will not lead to anything good. This is a demonstration and propaganda of cruelty," he said.
"This is the savagery and cruelty that children are taught. Of course, this is trauma for children. And the bitterness will find an outlet. The authorities are taking a risk, but they hope that they will not be the target," said Svetlana Gannushkina.
The authorities ordered public sector employees and high school students to participate in a rally in the center of Achkhoy-Martan on the morning of April 9, where the body of a man killed in an attack on security forces was brought, eyewitnesses said.
At the rally, officials also stated that the criminal's family would be expelled from the republic, and the attacker's body would not be given to relatives for burial. Security forces and administration employees did not allow anyone to leave the rally, despite the fact that several women lost consciousness and children were shocked by what was happening - these and other unique testimonies from local residents were published in the "Caucasian Knot" article from 06.49 on April 10.
Neither Islamic law nor adats allow the display of the body of a dead person, even an enemy, the Caucasus expert pointed out. "The deceased is probably considered a Muslim after all. It is very bad, of course, to mock the body. Any person should be buried, even if there are hostile feelings towards him. But mocking a corpse - I do not know of such adats," he said.
There are no customs in Islam, as far as the Caucasus expert knows, when a ruler would declare punishment of the entire clan for the crime of one person. "Blood feud can only be declared by relatives of the murdered person. If we are talking about expulsion from the country or from the republic, then this is clearly not blood feud. Of course, the jamaat can expel the criminal. But, firstly, this is a custom that has not been practiced for a long time. Secondly, after all, it is the jamaat that decides, and not those people who have no relation to the jamaat," he explained.
Gathering people and putting a corpse on display is blasphemy and mockery of the population, Shamil Albakov is sure. "No adats or principles of the Islamic religion, no other principles, no legislation in the civilized world allows this. Even mockery of the corpses of enemies is condemned where there is a war," Albakov emphasized.
In his opinion, as a result of such actions by the authorities, the residents of Chechnya are unlikely to become even more intimidated, rather the opposite.
The population of Chechnya has simply been driven to despair and hatred.
"The population has already been driven to despair, to hatred and hostility. It can be seen in the eyes, in the reactions of these people, women who are crying, cursing everyone for what is happening. But the population today is also completely defenseless and completely deprived of any prospects for help or support from the outside," said Albakov.
Punishment of close and distant relatives of the perpetrator of a crime is not permitted by any laws or customs, he confirmed. "Taking away relatives, punishing them for the actions of a minor member of their family - according to all principles and laws, this is prohibited, unacceptable. But representatives of the authorities in Chechnya do this, they are proud of it, they boast that they resort to precisely such mocking methods to control the population of the Chechen Republic," Albakov complained.
At the same time, he stressed that he does not approve of attacks on security forces in Chechnya. "Of course, no one is calling for such actions. It is wrong to do this," he said.
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