Analysts rule out risks to Zakaev's reputation due to his relatives' abdication of him

It is not the first time that Akhmed Zakaev's relatives have been forced to renounce him, Tatiana Lokshina has recalled. His relatives living in Chechnya may fear that some actions may be taken against them by authorities, Ruslan Kutaev has noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 10, Akhmed Zakaev, the head of the government of the self-proclaimed Ichkeria (banned in Russia by the court), located outside Russia, reported the detention of his brothers, sisters and nephews. He linked the incident with his statements in support of the 1ADAT Telegram Channel. On September 10, a message appeared on the Instagram that the Zakaev family clan decided to publicly condemn him.

Zakaev's relatives could equally make proactive statements regarding Akhmed, believing that some actions could be taken against them, said Ruslan Kutaev, the President of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations.

"They could have been taken away, toughly talked and offered to publicly renounce him. Several years ago, people gathered in a mosque and condemned him," Mr Kutaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on September 15.

Tatiana Lokshina, Deputy Director of the "Human Rights Watch" (HRW) for Europe and Central Asia, believes that the next relatives' renunciation of Akhmed Zakaev has no reputational risks for him.

"It is not the first time that Akhmed Zakaev's relatives remaining in Chechnya have been forced to 'disown' him – obviously, under authorities' pressure. And it's unlikely that this renunciation can entail any reputational losses for Zakaev himself," Ms Lokshina told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 16, 2020 at 01:13 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.