In Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov's threats to quarantine violators followed by detentions

Residents of Chechnya who violate the quarantine regime will lose their cars and will be forced to clean the streets, states Ramzan Kadyrov. Policemen gathered quarantine violators at a football field and reprimanded them in public.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that starting from April 13, residents of Chechnya are forbidden to leave their homes without special permits. Meanwhile, each family is allowed to spend only six hours a week for purchases.

On April 29, while delivering a speech at a meeting of the operational headquarters, Ramzan Kadyrov claimed a massive violation of the quarantine regime by residents of Grozny. The leader of Chechnya called on for tightening control over the movement of people. "Now we are driving around the city [of Grozny]. It looks like the city lives its ordinary life. No one obeys to the quarantine measures <...> I say [it is necessary] to tighten the measures. If a man is driving around the city with no reasons, seize his car and make him sweep the streets, clean hospitals, that is, make him work," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent translated from the Chechen language the Ramzan Kadyrov's statement voiced on the air of the "Grozny" TV Channel.

The leader of Chechnya warned potential violators and their families that the above punishments would be applied as early as April 29. "Do not look for your man (a relative who violated the quarantine regime, – note of the 'Caucasian Knot'). He will be sweeping the streets somewhere and cleaning entrances to some buildings. We will not return transport (cars seized from violators, – note of the 'Caucasian Knot')," stated Ramzan Kadyrov.

On April 30, the "Grozny" TV Company posted in its public account on Instagram a video with inspections conducted by law enforcers in the streets of Grozny. After the inspections, some people get into cars of law enforcers. Then the video demonstrates a footage shot at a fenced sports ground. Dozens of young people are lined up along the perimeter of the sports ground, with a police officer standing in the centre.

"These measures are aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus infection in the territory of our republic," states the text, which accompanies the post.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 30, 2020 at 02:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.