Editing Chechnya (section)

==Human rights==
{{Main|Russo-Caucasian conflict}}
{{Further|First Chechen War#Human rights violations and war crimes|Second Chechen War crimes and terrorism}}
[[File:Ramzan Kadyrov (2018-06-15) 02.jpg|thumb|left|Chechen leader [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] in 2018]]

Тhe Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reports that after hundreds of thousands of [[Caucasus Russians|ethnic Russians]] and Chechens fled their homes following inter-ethnic and [[Chechen–Russian conflict|separatist conflicts in Chechnya in 1994 and 1999]], more than 150,000 people still remain displaced in Russia today.<ref>[http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004CE90B/(httpCountrySummaries)/441ED4F5458A7C1DC125733600369629?OpenDocument&count=10000 Government efforts help only some IDPs rebuild their lives], IDMC, 13 August 2007  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821165016/http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004CE90B/%28httpCountrySummaries%29/441ED4F5458A7C1DC125733600369629?OpenDocument&count=10000 |date=21 August 2013 }}</ref>

[[List of human rights organisations|Нuman rights organizations]] criticized the conduct of the 2005 parliamentary elections as unfairly influenced by the central [[Russian government]] and [[Russian Armed Forces|military]].<ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5028949 Chechnya Holds Parliamentary Vote], Morning Edition, NPR, 28 November 2005.</ref> In 2006, [[Human Rights Watch]] reported that pro-Russian Chechen forces under the command of [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], as well as [[Police of Russia|Russian federal police personnel]], used torture to get information about separatist forces. "If you are detained in Chechnya, you face a real and immediate risk of torture. And there is little chance that your torturer will be held accountable", said Holly Cartner, Director of the Europe and Central Asia division of the Human Rights Watch.<ref>[[Human Rights Watch]]:[https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2006/11/12/chechnya-research-shows-widespread-and-systematic-use-torture Chechnya: Research Shows Widespread and Systematic Use of Torture]</ref>

In 2009, the [[U. S. government]]-financed American organization [[Freedom House]] included Chechnya in the "Worst of the Worst" list of most repressive societies in the world, together with [[Burma]], [[North Korea]], [[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]], and others.<ref>[http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/WoW09/WOW%202009.pdf Worst of the Worst: The World's Most Repressive Societies] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110015057/http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/WoW09/WOW%202009.pdf |date=10 November 2011 }} ([[Portable Document Format|PDF]]), ''[[Freedom House]]'', March 2009</ref> [[Memorial (society)|Memorial]] considers Chechnya under Kadyrov to be a [[Totalitarianism|totalitarian]] regime.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Cherkasov|first1=Alexander|last2=Golubev|first2=Ostav|last3=Malykhin|first3=Vladimir|date=24 February 2023|title=A chain of wars, a chain of crimes, a chain of impunity: Russian wars in Chechnya, Syria and Ukraine|url=https://ruswars.org/report/Report_Memorial.pdf|website=Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre|pages=9}}</ref>

On February 1, 2009, ''[[The New York Times]]'' released extensive evidence to support allegations of consistent torture and executions under the Kadyrov government. The accusations were sparked by the assassination in Austria of a former Chechen rebel who had gained access to Kadyrov's inner circle, 27-year-old [[Umar Israilov]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Chivers |first=C.&nbsp;J. |title=Slain Exile Detailed Cruelty of the Ruler of Chechnya |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/world/europe/01torture.html?_r=0&pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |date=31 January 2009}}</ref>

On July 1, 2009, [[Amnesty International]] released a detailed report covering the human rights violations committed by the [[Russian Federation]] against Chechen citizens. Among the most prominent features was that those abused had no method of redress against assaults, ranging from kidnapping to torture, while those responsible were never held accountable. This led to the conclusion that Chechnya was being ruled without law, being run into further devastating destabilization.<ref>[[Amnesty International]]:[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/012/2009/en/l Russian Federation Rule Without Law: Human Rights violations in the North Caucasus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203081115/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur46/012/2009/en/l/ |date=3 February 2019 }}, 1 July 2009.</ref>

On 10 March 2011, [[Human Rights Watch]] reported that since Chechenization, the government has pushed for enforced [[Islamic dress code]].<ref>[[Human Rights Watch]]:[https://www.hrw.org/print/reports/2011/03/10/you-dress-according-their-rules "You Dress According to Their Rules" Enforcement of an Islamic Dress Code for Women in Chechnya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123751/http://www.hrw.org/print/reports/2011/03/10/you-dress-according-their-rules |date=2 April 2015 }}, 10 March 2011</ref> The president [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] is quoted as saying "I have the right to criticize my wife. She doesn't [have the right to criticize me]. With us [in Chechen society], a wife is a [[housewife]]. A woman should know her place. A woman should give her love to us [men]... She would be [man's] property. And the man is the owner. Here, if a woman does not behave properly, her husband, father, and brother are responsible. According to our tradition, if a woman fools around, her family members kill her... That's how it happens, a brother kills his sister or a husband kills his wife... As a president, I cannot allow for them to kill. So, let women not wear shorts...".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kp.ru/daily/24169/380743/|title=Рамзан КАДЫРОВ: "Россия – это матушка родная"|last=правды»|first=Александр ГАМОВ {{!}} Сайт «Комсомольской|date=24 September 2008|newspaper=Kp.ru -|language=ru|access-date=27 August 2019}}</ref> He has also openly defended [[honor killing]]s on several occasions.<ref>[http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?story_id=28409&action_id=2 Chechen President Kadyrov Defends Honor Killings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605060857/http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?story_id=28409&action_id=2 |date=5 June 2011 }} [[The St. Petersburg Times (Russia)|The St. Petersburg Times]] 3&nbsp;March 2009</ref>

On 9 July 2017, Russian newspaper {{Lang|ru-latn|[[Novaya Gazeta]]}} reported that a number of people were extrajudicially executed on the night of 26 January 2017. It published a list of 27 names of the people known to be dead, but stressed that the list is "not all [of those killed]"; the newspaper asserted that 50 people may have been executed.<ref name="ng9jul17">{{cite news | url=https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/07/09/73065-eto-byla-kazn-v-noch-na-26-yanvarya-v-groznom-rasstrelyany-desyatki-lyudey | title=Это была казнь. В ночь на 26 января в Грозном расстреляли десятки людей | work=[[Novaya Gazeta]] | date=9 July 2017 | access-date=10 July 2017 | author=Milashina, Elena| location=Moscow| author-link=Elena Milashina }}</ref> Some of the dead were gay, but not all. The killings appeared to have been precipitated by the death of a policeman;<ref name="ng9jul17"/> according to the author of the report, [[Elena Milashina]], the victims were executed for engaging in terrorism.<ref name="imrjul17">{{cite web | url=https://imrussia.org/en/the-rundown/media-must-reads/2820-who-is-afraid-of-navalny,-killings-in-chechnya,-trump-putin-meeting | title=Who Is Afraid of Navalny, Killings in Chechnya, Trump-Putin Meeting | work=Institute of Modern Russia | date=14 July 2017 | access-date=17 July 2017 | archive-date=21 August 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821084419/https://imrussia.org/en/the-rundown/media-must-reads/2820-who-is-afraid-of-navalny,-killings-in-chechnya,-trump-putin-meeting | url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 2021, up to 50 family members of critics of the Kadyrov government were abducted in a wave of mass kidnappings beginning on 22 December.<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 December 2021|title=Dozens of relatives of government critics reportedly kidnapped in Chechnya|url=https://oc-media.org/dozens-of-relatives-of-government-critics-reportedly-kidnapped-in-chechnya/|access-date=29 December 2021|website=OC Media|language=en-US}}</ref> In a case-study published during the same year, Freedom House reported that Kadyrov also conducts a total transnational repression campaign against Chechen exiles outside of Russia, including assassinations of critics and digital intimidation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Russia Case Study {{!}} Understanding Transnational Repression |url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression/russia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021125303/https://freedomhouse.org/report/transnational-repression/russia |archive-date=2021-10-21 |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Freedom House |language=en}}</ref>

===LGBT rights===
{{Main|Anti-gay purges in Chechnya|LGBT rights in Chechnya}}
[[File:LGBT in Chechnya.jpg|thumb|right|230px|A public [[die-in]] demonstration, "Chechen mothers mourn their children", was staged on 1 May 2017 after a purge on [[Nevsky Prospect]] in [[Saint Petersburg]], to protest the [[Anti-gay purges in Chechnya|persecution of gay men in Chechnya]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian police round up LGBT activists demonstrating against persecution of gay men in Chechnya |last=Batchelor |first=Tom |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-gay-rights-lgbt-chechnya-persecution-st-petersburg-may-day-protest-a7711531.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=1 May 2017 |access-date=31 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131011156/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-gay-rights-lgbt-chechnya-persecution-st-petersburg-may-day-protest-a7711531.html |archive-date=31 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Russians Protesting Abuse of Gay Men in Chechnya Are Detained |last=Kramer |first=Andrew E. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/world/europe/russia-gay-rights-chechnya.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=1 May 2017 |access-date=31 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124052634/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/world/europe/russia-gay-rights-chechnya.html |archive-date=24 November 2017}}</ref>]]

Although homosexuality is officially legal in Chechnya per Russian law, it is de facto illegal. Chechen authorities have reportedly arrested, imprisoned and killed persons based on their perceived sexual orientation.<ref name="KramerNYT">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/europe/chechen-authorities-arresting-and-killing-gay-men-russian-paper-says.html|title=Chechen Authorities Arresting and Killing Gay Men, Russian Paper Says|first=Andrew E.|last=Kramer|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1 April 2017|access-date=15 April 2017|archive-date=28 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428122004/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/world/europe/chechen-authorities-arresting-and-killing-gay-men-russian-paper-says.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, it was reported by {{Lang|ru-latn|[[Novaya Gazeta]]}} and human rights groups that Chechen authorities had set up [[concentration camp]]s, one of which is in [[Argun, Chechen Republic|Argun]], where gay men are interrogated and subjected to physical violence.<ref name="globeandmailarrest100suspected">{{cite news |title=Chechnya police arrest 100 suspected gay men, three killed: report |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com//news/world/chechnya-police-arrest-100-suspected-gay-men-three-killed-report/article34559281/ |access-date=10 April 2017 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=3 April 2017 }}</ref><ref name="pinknewshasopenedconcentration">{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Nick |title=Chechnya has opened concentration camps for gay men |url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/04/10/chechnya-has-opened-concentration-camps-for-gay-men/ |access-date=10 April 2017 |work=[[PinkNews]] |date=10 April 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/over-100-people-allegedly-sent-to-concentration-camps-for-gay-men-in-chechnya-35610969.html |title=Over 100 people allegedly sent to 'concentration camps' for gay men in Chechnya |first=Kathy |last=Armstrong |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=10 April 2017 |access-date=11 April 2017 |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/04/04/72027-raspravy-nad-chechenskimi-geyami-publikuem-svidetelstva |script-title=ru:Расправы над чеченскими геями |trans-title=Massacres of Chechen gays (18+) |first1=Irina |last1=Gordienko |author2=Elena Milashina |work=[[Novaya Gazeta]] |date=4 April 2017 |access-date=12 April 2017 |language=ru }}</ref> On 27 June 2018, the [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]] noted "cases of abduction, arbitrary detention, and torture ... with the direct involvement of Chechen law enforcement officials and on the orders of top-level Chechen authorities"<ref name="CoE Parl 2018-07-27">{{Cite web |url=https://pace.coe.int/en/files/24962/html |title=Persecution of LGBTI people in the Chechen Republic (Russian Federation), Resolution 2230 (2018) |publisher=[[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]] |date=27 June 2018 |access-date=26 September 2021 }}</ref> and expressed dismay "at the statements of Chechen and Russian public officials denying the existence of LGBTI people in the Chechen Republic".<ref name="CoE Parl 2018-07-27"/> Kadyrov's spokesman Alvi Karimov told [[Interfax]] that gay people "simply do not exist in the republic" and made an approving reference to [[honor killing]]s by family members "if there were such people in Chechnya".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/13/they-called-us-animals-chechens-prison-beatings-electric-shocks-anti-gay-purge |title=Chechens tell of prison beatings and electric shocks in anti-gay purge: 'They called us animals' |first=Shaun |last=Walker |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=13 April 2017 |access-date=26 September 2021 }}</ref> In a 2021 [[Council of Europe]] report into anti-LGBTI hate-crimes, [[rapporteur]] Foura ben Chikha described the "state-sponsored attacks carried out against LGBTI people in Chechnya in 2017" as "the single most egregious example of violence against LGBTI people in Europe that has occurred in decades".<ref name="CoE 2021-09-21">{{cite web |url=https://assembly.coe.int/LifeRay/EGA/Pdf/TextesProvisoires/2021/20210921-RisingHateLGBTI-EN.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923211038/https://assembly.coe.int/LifeRay/EGA/Pdf/TextesProvisoires/2021/20210921-RisingHateLGBTI-EN.pdf |archive-date=2021-09-23 |url-status=live |title=Combating rising hate against LGBTI people in Europe |first=Foura |last=ben Chikha |publisher=[[Council of Europe]] Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination |pages=15–16 |date=21 September 2021 |access-date=26 September 2021 }}</ref>

On 11 January 2019, it was reported that another "gay purge" had begun in the country in December 2018, with several men and women being detained.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/88929f353d494b3a87843002d02ad155 |title=Reports: several gay men and women detained in Chechnya |first=Nataliya |last=Vasilyeva |date=11 January 2019 |work=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=14 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Damshenas |first=Sam |title=Chechnya has reportedly launched a new 'gay purge' |magazine=[[Gay Times]] |date=11 January 2019 |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/community/117320/chechnya-has-reportedly-launched-a-new-gay-purge/ |access-date=13 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/chechnya-gay-purge-lgbt-detention-torture-missing-men-women-beating-a8723011.html |title=Chechnya launches new gay 'purge', reports say |first=Oliver |last=Carroll |website=[[The Independent]] |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=14 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.novayagazeta.ru/news/2019/01/11/148260-chechnya |script-title=ru:«Новой газете» стало известно о новых преследованиях геев в Чечне |trans-title=''Novaya Gazeta'' learned of new persecution of gays in Chechnya |language=ru |work=[[Novaya Gazeta]] |date=11 January 2019 |access-date=14 January 2019 |archive-date=11 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011223326/https://www.novayagazeta.ru/news/2019/01/11/148260-chechnya |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Russian LGBT Network]] believes that around 40 people were detained and two killed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lgbtnet.org/en/newseng/new-wave-persecution-against-lgbt-people-chechnya-around-40-people-detained-least-two-killed |title=New wave of persecution against LGBT people in Chechnya: around 40 people detained, at least two killed |date=14 January 2019 |website=Российская ЛГБТ-сеть |language=ru |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630191112/https://lgbtnet.org/en/newseng/new-wave-persecution-against-lgbt-people-chechnya-around-40-people-detained-least-two-killed |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/01/14/685192372/activists-say-40-detained-and-2-dead-in-gay-purge-in-chechnya |title=Activists Say 40 Detained And 2 Dead in Gay Purge in Chechnya |first=Sasha |last=Ingber |publisher=[[NPR]] |language=en |date=14 January 2019 |access-date=27 August 2019 }}</ref>