‘Moscow tolerates abuses in Chechnya’home/News/World/‘Moscow tolerates abuses in Chechnya’VIENNA: Moscow is tolerating human rights abuses committed in Chechnya for “the sake of stability” in the troubled Russian Caucasus republic, according to an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) report published Thursday (Friday in Manila). The OSCE said its monitors found “clear evidence” confirming allegations of abuses against homosexuals, drug users, rights campaigners, lawyers and independent media. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has led the Muslim-majority region with an iron fist since 2007, had been accused by rights groups of running Chechnya like his personal fiefdom. In a statement to the OSCE on Thursday, the 16-member states, which had called for the report, urged Moscow to “work with the relevant international institutions” on the issues raised. The OSCE, which aims to promote democracy and security and defend human rights, has 57 members, including Russia.

Source: Manila Times December 22, 2018 02:28 UTC