Chechen women return from Syria upon their consent to criminal prosecution

Chechen women, brought from Syria on November 13, have confirmed to their relatives that they could return to Russia after consenting to criminal prosecution. All women were first offered to stay in the Middle East and send only children to their homeland, the authorities of Chechnya reported.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 13, 41 persons, including women and children, were brought from Syria to Grozny. Their number includes 34 natives of the Russia's regions, including Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia, and seven citizens of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The women brought to Grozny were questioned by the police and after that they were allowed to meet their relatives at the airport, the Chechen law enforcement agencies reported.

Khava, a woman from Chechnya, said that before returning to Russia, her niece signed a letter about her consent to criminal prosecution. Thus, the authorities relieve themselves of the responsibility for the fate of those women, said an NGO member.

According to him, it is "immoral" to force women to sign a letter about consent to criminal prosecution for returning home. "It is clear that no woman, who also cared of children, did participate in any combat actions," the NGO members explained.

The women and children who returned yesterday did not have any documents with them, reported an official from the administration for the Chechen leader and government.

The number of people returned from Syria and Iraq includes no men, noted Ruslan, a member of a Chechen NGO.

Teacher Madina believes the authorities of Chechnya use the return of women and children from Syria and Iraq for propaganda purposes.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.