KADYROV ACCUSED OF INCITING MURDER IN AUSTRIA
FINAL REPORT NAMES THE CHECHEN PRESIDENT AS SUSPECT
Ramzan
Kadyrov, President of Chechnya, a constituent republic of Russia, has been
accused of inciting the murder of Chechen exile Umar Israilov in a final report
released by the Austrian State Offices of Domestic Security and
Counter-Terrorism. Israilov was shot dead in broad daylight in Vienna on 13
January 2009. Prior to
his murder, Israilov had agreed to give evidence in a trial before the European
Court and in proceedings taken against Kadyrov in Austria. These trials
concerned, among other crimes, cases of torture that Israilov himself had
suffered in Chechnya. With the assistance of Israilov's witness statements,
charges were filed by ECCHR in Vienna, June 2008.
Besides the two direct offenders, the final report now available from the Austrian authorities also names nine other Chechen individuals involved. The report thus exposes the chain of Chechen death squads all the way up to the political peak of the Chechen Republic. Moscow deploys and tolerates the Chechen regime of injustice, with its reach extending as far as major European capitals. Opponents of this regime and particularly witnesses before European courts live in perpetual fear of being attacked for their actions. Despite Israilov's multiple requests for measures to be taken to ensure his personal safety, the Austrian Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the country's domestic intelligence agency, did not respond to his concerns. In fact, another witness in the Israilov case also requested protection; however, instead it being granted to him, he was deported to Russia where he has presumably been treated like a violent criminal and victimized. The final report was delivered to the Vienna Office of Public Prosecutor. It is expected that an international arrest warrant will soon be issued.
Besides the two direct offenders, the final report now available from the Austrian authorities also names nine other Chechen individuals involved. The report thus exposes the chain of Chechen death squads all the way up to the political peak of the Chechen Republic. Moscow deploys and tolerates the Chechen regime of injustice, with its reach extending as far as major European capitals. Opponents of this regime and particularly witnesses before European courts live in perpetual fear of being attacked for their actions. Despite Israilov's multiple requests for measures to be taken to ensure his personal safety, the Austrian Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the country's domestic intelligence agency, did not respond to his concerns. In fact, another witness in the Israilov case also requested protection; however, instead it being granted to him, he was deported to Russia where he has presumably been treated like a violent criminal and victimized. The final report was delivered to the Vienna Office of Public Prosecutor. It is expected that an international arrest warrant will soon be issued.