Residents of Chechnya publicly apologize for video about law enforcers' threats

Members of the Tazurkaev family from the Achkhoi-Martan District of Chechnya have denied the information that law enforcers threatened to kill their female relative. Chechen NGOs doubt that the public apologies were brought voluntarily.

On October 16, a video was posted on YouTube, in which two men were knocking out doors in an attempt to enter a house. A teenager, who shot the incident with her mobile phone, explained that her uncles, who worked for the law enforcement agencies, threatened to kill her sister, since they suggested she was planning to leave for Syria.

On October 17, the "Grozny" TV Channel showed a story in which an 18-year-old daughter of Salam Tazurkaev explained she shot the video at her father's request. The man himself said he called his brothers law enforcers in the hope that "people would interfere" in a domestic conflict.

"I was angry, and I did not understand anything ... I am very sorry," said the man.

A younger brother of Salam Tazurkaev said he learned about his niece's plans to marry and go abroad and wanted to prevent that. He has added that he does not work for the law enforcement agencies for two months already.

An elder brother of Salam Tazurkaev reported that his daughter, mentioned as dead, got married and lives abroad.

Members of local NGOs have suggested that Salam Tazurkaev and his daughter were forced to retract their initial statements.

The practice of public repentance is widespread in Chechnya. For example, in January, Kameta Djautkhanova, a nurse of the republican clinical centre, reported about patients suffering from complications after vaccinations, but retracted her statement at a meeting with the leader of Chechnya.

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