U.S. Sanctions Ramzan Kadyrov, Responsible for Chechnya's 'Gay Purge', Over Human Rights Violations

[Behind the Aegis]

The U.S. State Department has sanctioned Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, over human rights violations. Kadyrov is responsible for the systematic detention, torture, and murder of gay men that continues in Chechnya.

The State Department’s full statement:

“Today, the Department of State is publicly designating Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation, under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020. This designation is due to Kadyrov’s involvement in gross violations of human rights in the Chechen Republic. The Department has extensive credible information that Kadyrov is responsible for numerous gross violations of human rights dating back more than a decade, including torture and extrajudicial killings.

“We note that today’s action also applies to Mr. Kadyrov’s spouse, Medni Kadyrova, and his daughters Aishat Kadyrova and Karina (aka Khadizhat) Kadyrova. We will encourage likeminded countries to take similar measures.

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[Igel]

2. So many reasons to sanction him.

This took years to get.

On the other hand, kadyrovtsy were a fairly notorious contingent of men sent by Kadyrov into the Donbas in '14 and '15 and '16 to fight against the "fascists" in order to institute an authoritarian, nationalist government. You'd think sanctions would have been applied then, too. Esp. since Kadyrov is Putin's guy in Chechnya. But, no.