Analysts: authorities of Chechnya violate POWs’ rights

The statement voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov about the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Gudermes as a result of a drone attack can be regarded as their use as a “human shield” and hostages.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 29, a building on the territory of the Russian Special Forces University in Gudermes caught fire as a result of a drone attack. The leader of Chechnya reported that Ukrainian prisoners of war had perished at the Russian Special Forces University.

The Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement about the deaths of Ukrainian soldiers as a result of the drone attack is a threat to Ukraine, notes a human rights defender from the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD)*.

The leader of Chechnya is trying to defend himself from new attacks by Ukrainian drones, the analyst believes.

Human rights defender Oleg Orlov* also expressed the opinion that the statements voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov are a kind of hostage-taking. “That is, Ramzan Kadyrov uses Ukrainian prisoners of war as a human shield, if we are to believe his words ... If this is true, then this is a violation of international humanitarian law, since prisoners of war may not be held at military facilities,” the human rights defender noted.

The practice of human shields was used during the two Chechen wars, Oleg Orlov* pointed out.

The human rights defender has also added that the Ramzan Kadyrov’s statement concerning a ban on taking Ukrainian soldiers prisoners of war after the drone attack also raises questions. “[These statements] indicate that Ramzan Kadyrov is behaving inappropriately ... After the drone attack, he instructs his subordinates not to take prisoners of war, but later, he admits that he uses Ukrainian prisoners of war as a human shield,” Oleg Orlov* emphasized.

According to the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, they may not be used to protect any objects, notes military lawyer Artyom Mugunyants. Prisoners of war must also be protected from airstrikes, the lawyer emphasizes.

*As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the register of foreign agents was the spread of “inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces.”

**Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.