Chechnya: “Honor killings” defended by President Kadyrov
By: Violeta Krasnic
Posted: Mar 16 09
Witnessed: 1281 times
Regions: Eastern Europe, Russia
Issues: Honor crimes, Religion, Violence against women
Tags: chechnya, honor crimes, honor killings, islam, Religion, tradition, violence against women, Women's rights
In November 2008, bodies of six young women with gunshot wounds to the head were discovered dumped by roadsides in and around the Chechen capital Grozny. Another woman's body killed in a similar manner was discovered this February. Chechen human rights commissioner was quoted saying that murdered women "have forgotten the mountain women's code of behavior" and that their male relatives "feel they have been insulted and sometimes take the law into their own hands." While Chechen President Kadyrov initially called the killings "outrageous," the Associated Press quoted him saying that these women had "loose morals" and were rightfully shot by male relatives in "honor killings."
But as those fighting against misuse of religion and culture to justify violence would tell us: "There is no honor in killing!" This is the interview with Chechen activists Gistam Sakayeva who works to defend rights of women. She describes the culture surrounding killings of women in Checnhya and provides concrete suggestions on how to respond to this type of violence. Gistam and her colleagues now worry that Kadyrov's "endorsement" might encourage violence against women.
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