15:45, 20 January 2020

Strengthened checkpoints indicate Kadyrov's refusal to smooth road checks in Chechnya

Law enforcers on the border with Ingushetia. Photo: REUTERS/Kazbek Basayev

In Chechnya, construction of checkpoints proves that Ramzan Kadyrov abandoned the idea of eliminating checkpoints on roads, political analysts note. There is no practical benefit from the strengthening of checkpoints, says Ingush human rights defender Magomed Mutsolgov.

In November 2019, the Chechen authorities opened two new checkpoints in the Shelkovsky District, on the border with Dagestan. Social media users expressed their concerns that the checkpoints would complicate movement between the republics.

According to political analyst Alexei Malashenko, the change in Ramzan Kadyrov's position is not related to the resignation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who supported the initiative to remove the checkpoints.

Ruslan Kutaev, the president of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, believes the presence of law enforcers in the republics of Northern Caucasus will be strengthened, since the Kremlin "does not fully trust local leaders."

The checkpoints are not be able to serve as a barrier against terrorists, but they become targets of attacks, notes Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the Ingush Human Rights Centre "Mashr". According to him, the situation with respecting the rule of law at the checkpoints on the administrative borders between the regions is much more complicated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 20, 2020 at 12:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Gor Alexanyan, Magomed Tuaev

Source: CK correspondents