Rights defenders: Chechen refugees seek asylum in Germany because of repressions in their republic (+video)

The growing number of migrants from Chechnya, who apply for the refugee status in Germany, has to do with the policies pursued by the Chechen leadership of suppressing the dissent, believes Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, the Director of the Project for Russia and Northern Caucasus of the International Crisis Group (ICG). Chechens have always made up the majority of refugees from Russia; and it is connected with the situation in the republic, says Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the "Civil Assistance" Committee.

According to the German edition "Die Welt", the increase in the inflow of migrants from Russia to Germany is observed since the second half of 2015. Monthly, from 800 to 1200 Russian citizens are asking for asylum.

Ms Sokiryanskaya has noted that Chechens go to Germany, in particular, because a Chechen community has already formed there; while the rules of granting the asylum have not been tightened as much as in other EU countries. At the same time, according to the expert, refugees are seeking to integrate into the host society.

Several thousand refugees from Chechnya, seeking the asylum in Germany, is a standard situation, said Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the "Civil Assistance" Committee.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.