11:56, 5 September 2017

Putin reacts to Kadyrov's statement on events in Myanmar

President Vladimir Putin and the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov (on the right). Photo http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/17444/photos

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, thanked Russian President for his condemnation of persecution of Muslims in Myanmar. This is not the first Kadyrov’s initiative supported by Vladimir Putin: upon Kadyrov’s submission, a law was adopted, banning to regard texts of sacred books as extremist.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Kadyrov threatened to oppose Russian authorities if they took the side of persecutors of Myanmar Muslims.

"I thank President Vladimir Putin, who condemned violence against Muslims and urged the Myanmar authorities to take control of the situation," the “Kommersant” quotes Ramzan Kadyrov as saying.

The head of Chechnya has also explained that his words about the events in Myanmar were misinterpreted. "Those who scoff at killings of innocent people are in a deep moral pit... I consider it my duty to protect those who need help, and to speak out against injustice," Kadyrov said.

In Chechnya, the Muslims, who fail to adhere to traditional Islam, are subject to authorities’ harassments. According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), Kadyrov demanded to punish those who deviate from the Sufi version of Islam.

The Kremlin is concerned about the situation in Myanmar, Dmitry Peskov, the Russian presidential press secretary, said on September 4.

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