Editing Chechnya (section)

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of Chechnya}}

Since 1990, the Chechen Republic has had many legal, military, and civil conflicts involving [[Chechen separatism|separatist movements]] and [[Chechen–Russian conflict|pro-Russian authorities]]. Chechnya has enjoyed a period of relative stability under the Russian-appointed government, although there is still some separatist movement activity.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chechnya profile |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18188085 |access-date=15 April 2024 |publisher=BBC |date=28 August 2023}}</ref> Its regional constitution entered into effect on 2 April 2003, after an all-Chechen referendum was held on 23 March 2003. Some Chechens were controlled by regional [[teip]]s, or clans, despite the existence of pro- and anti-Russian political structures.

In the [[2024 Russian presidential election]], which critics called rigged and fraudulent,<ref>{{cite news |title=The extent of fraud in Russia's presidential election begins to emerge |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/03/20/the-extent-of-fraud-in-russia-s-presidential-election-begins-to-emerge_6638830_4.html |work=[[Le Monde]] |date=20 March 2024}}</ref> Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] won 98.99% of the vote in Chechnya.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chechnya boosts Putin re-election with almost 100% of the votes |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/chechnya-boosts-putin-election-almost-095933820.html |work=Yahoo News |agency=Deutsche Presse-Agentur |date=18 March 2024}}</ref>

===Regional government===
[[File:Vladimir Putin 8 November 2000-1.jpg|thumb|[[Akhmad Kadyrov]], former separatist and [[head of the Chechen Republic]], with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], on 8 November 2000]]

The former separatist religious leader (mufti) [[Akhmad Kadyrov]] was elected president with 83% of the vote in an internationally monitored election on 5 October 2003. Incidents of [[ballot stuffing]] and voter intimidation by Russian soldiers and the exclusion of separatist parties from the polls were subsequently reported by [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] (OSCE) monitors. On 9 May 2004, Kadyrov was assassinated in Grozny football stadium by a [[land mine|landmine]] explosion that was planted beneath a VIP stage and detonated during a parade, and [[Sergey Abramov (politician)|Sergey Abramov]] was appointed acting prime minister after the incident. However, since 2005 [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] (son of Akhmad Kadyrov) has been the caretaker prime minister, and in 2007 was appointed as the new president. Many{{who|date=April 2024}} allege he is the wealthiest and most powerful man in the republic, with control over a large private militia (the [[Kadyrovites]]). The militia, which began as his father's security force, has been accused of killings and kidnappings by human rights organisations such as [[Human Rights Watch]].

===Separatist government===
Ichkeria was a member of the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation]] between 1991 and 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unpo.org/members/20854|title=UNPO: Chechen Republic of Ichkeria|website=unpo.org|access-date=27 August 2019}}</ref> Former president of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Zviad Gamsakhurdia]], deposed in a military coup of 1991 and a participant of the [[Georgian Civil War]], recognized the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in 1993.<ref name="test">[http://pirweli.com.ge/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3399&Itemid=45 in 1993, ex –President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia recognized Chechnya's independence..], {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821134007/http://pirweli.com.ge/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3399&Itemid=45 |date=21 August 2013 }}</ref> Diplomatic relations with Ichkeria were also established by the partially recognised [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan]] under the [[Taliban]] government on 16 January 2000. This recognition ceased with the fall of the Taliban in 2001.<ref>[http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/5597-11.cfm Are Chechens in Afghanistan?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807172345/http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/5597-11.cfm |date=7 August 2009 }} – By Nabi Abdullaev, 14 December 2001, Moscow Times</ref> However, despite Taliban recognition, there were no friendly relations between the Taliban and Ichkeria—Maskhadov rejected their recognition, stating that the Taliban were illegitimate.<ref name="Kullberg">Kullberg, Anssi. "The Background of Chechen Independence Movement III: The Secular Movement". ''The Eurasian politician''. 1 October 2003</ref> Ichkeria also received vocal support from the Baltic countries, a group of Ukrainian nationalists, and Poland; Estonia once voted to recognize, but the act never was followed through due to pressure applied by both Russia and the EU.<ref name="Kullberg" /><ref>Kari Takamaa and Martti Koskenneimi. ''The Finnish Yearbook of International Law''. p147</ref><ref name="Kuzio">Kuzio, Taras. "The Chechen crisis and the 'near abroad{{' "}}. ''Central Asian Survey'', Volume 14, Issue 4 1995, pages 553–572</ref>

[[File:Shamil Basaev.jpg|thumb|left|[[Shamil Basayev]], Chechen militant [[Islamist]] and a leader of the Chechen rebel movement]]

The president of this government was [[Aslan Maskhadov]], and the foreign minister was [[Ilyas Akhmadov]], who was the spokesman for the president. Maskhadov had been elected for four years in an internationally monitored election in 1997, which took place after signing a peace agreement with Russia. In 2001, he issued a decree prolonging his office for one additional year; he was unable to participate in the 2003 presidential election since separatist parties were barred by the Russian government, and Maskhadov faced accusations of terrorist offenses in Russia. Maskhadov left Grozny and moved to the separatist-controlled areas of the south at the onset of the [[Second Chechen War]]. Maskhadov was unable to influence a number of warlords who retain effective control over Chechen territory, and his power was diminished as a result. Russian forces killed Maskhadov on 8 March 2005, and the assassination was widely criticized since it left no legitimate Chechen separatist leader with whom to conduct peace talks. [[Akhmed Zakayev]], deputy prime minister and a foreign minister under Maskhadov, was appointed shortly after the 1997 election and is currently living under asylum in [[England]]. He and others chose [[Abdul Khalim Saidullayev]], a relatively unknown Islamic judge who was previously the host of an Islamic program on Chechen television, to replace Maskhadov following his death. On 17 June 2006, it was reported that Russian special forces killed Abdul Khalim Saidullayev in a raid in the Chechen town of [[Argun, Chechen Republic|Argun]]. On 10 July 2006, [[Shamil Basayev]], a leader of the Chechen rebel movement, was killed in a truck explosion during an arms deal.

The successor of Saidullayev became [[Doku Umarov]]. On 31 October 2007, Umarov abolished the [[Chechen Republic of Ichkeria]] and its presidency and in its place proclaimed the [[Caucasus Emirate]] with himself as its [[Emir]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itstime.it/Commenti/CaucEmiri.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511232726/http://www.itstime.it/Commenti/CaucEmiri.pdf |archive-date=2011-05-11 |url-status=live |title=What is Hidden Behind the Idea of the Caucasian Emirate? |access-date=19 April 2013}}</ref> This change of status has been rejected by many Chechen politicians and military leaders who continue to support the existence of the republic.

During the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], the [[Verkhovna Rada|Ukrainian parliament]] voted to recognize the "Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation".<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 October 2022 |title=Ukraine lawmakers brand Chechnya 'Russian-occupied' in dig at Kremlin |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-lawmakers-brand-chechnya-russian-occupied-dig-kremlin-2022-10-18/ |access-date=20 October 2022}}</ref>