HRC "Memorial" discloses Kadyrov's strategy to get special powers from Russian authorities

The Kadyrov family clan forced Moscow to make a series of concessions and during 17 years built a real totalitarian regime in Chechnya, the leaders of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" stated. The Chechen authorities are unpopular, but they are trying to strengthen themselves at the expense of the personality cult of Akhmat Kadyrov, participants in the discussion note.

After the Kadyrov family clan came to power in Chechnya, the Kremlin gave them more and more power, said Oleg Orlov, a member of the board of the "Memorial" International Society.

From the beginning, Moscow realized that "mass violence reproduced the armed underground and did not suppress it," said Alexander Cherkasov, the chairman of the Council of the HRC "Memorial". "Then the presidential administration transferred a significant part of the administrative and security functions to the bodies formed from ethnic Chechens, who knew better how and with whom to 'deal'," said Alexander Cherkasov.

"For 17 years, Chechnya has passed the way from the 'Chechenization' of the conflict through the 'Kadyrization' of the authorities to the final triumph of the totalitarian regime of Ramzan Kadyrov," Alexander Cherkasov explained.

According to Oleg Orlov, at first, the Kadyrov's regime gained popularity among Chechen young people, but then lost it.

"A young schlub with a submachine gun given to him by the Kadyrov's authorities may humiliate a respected elderly person or dictate to a Chechen woman how she should behave. From the real traditions to which the authorities appeal, there are only clothes, dances, and demonstrative respect for elderly people," said the member of the Council of the HRC "Memorial".

According to Isa, a Chechen native, who left for Europe, an important element of the regime in Chechnya is the personality cult of Akhmat Kadyrov.