Instagram users: authorities attack Gezmakhmaev to divert people’s attention from extrajudicial executions

The Chechen “Grozny” TV Channel released another video reporting that Suleiman Gezmakhmaev left Chechnya after borrowing a large amount of money. The authorities of the republic describe Suleiman Gezmakhmaev as a dishonest person addicted to drugs, but in fact, they do not respond to his testimonies about the killings committed by law enforcers, Internet users note.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 24, an uncle of Suleiman Gezmakhmaev reported that his nephew used psychotropic substances and fled Russia, while owing large amounts of money. The Chechen authorities have launched a PR campaign against Suleiman Gezmakhmaev, since they have no real grounds to institute a criminal case against him and cannot refute his information about extrajudicial executions, human rights defenders believe.

Ali Gataev, a resident of Achkhoi-Martan, demanded from relatives of Suleiman Gezmakhmaev to return the money that he allegedly took from him using fraud. The “Grozny” TV Channel associated the Suleiman Gezmakhmaev's leaving with his problems.

Earlier, videos with the participation of other residents of Chechnya have appeared on the Internet. In particular, the above residents stated that Suleiman Gezmakhmaev took money from them for the treatment of his sick daughter and then disappeared.

User goluboglazaya_kolyuchka notes that the “victims” appeared only after Suleiman Gezmakhmaev reported about the extrajudicial executions.

The authorities are trying to divert attention from the revelations, which may provoke wide public outcry, user hamza_magomedovich emphasizes.

People are forced to make “confessions” in front of a video camera, user elizabethh23 notes.