Rights defenders recognize Yasin Khalidov as political prisoner

The "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence has announced Yasin Khalidov, a former Chechen policeman and OMON (riot police) fighter, to be a political prisoner.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 20, 2023, Yasin Khalidov, 19, a policeman from Chechnya, was detained at a checkpoint in the Omsk Region while trying to cross the Russian-Kazakh border. Earlier, he tried to resign from service so as not to return to the special military operation (SMO) zone in Ukraine. Human rights defenders gave stated that in Chechnya Khalidov is in danger. The Chechen police refused to inform advocates about Khalidov's whereabouts.

Yasin Khalidov disappeared while trying to leave for Kazakhstan after talking about fabrication of criminal cases, participation in the SMO in Ukraine and the torture he was subjected to after trying to resign, says the website of the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence.

"He is being persecuted because he made public information about crimes committed by Chechen law enforcer. We believe that his persecution violates his right to a fair trial," human rights defenders assert.

Chechen authorities are persecuting Khalidov as a "traitor." "His life is at risk – if he is still alive," the release of the above Centre said.

The officials and law enforcers, who decide to flee the country, are ostracized; some of them also face the threat of repressions from their former colleagues.