The Kremlin's envoy for human rights in Chechnya on Tuesday accused non-governmental
rights groups of committing "moral terror" and said they should be investigated
for ties to international terrorist groups. The harsh statement by Abdul-Khakim
Sultygov reflected Russia's high sensitivity to criticism of its nearly four-year
war in Chechnya, which human rights groups say has been marked by atrocities by
soldiers including the murder of civilians, rape and looting.
"Chechnya clearly demonstrates that terrorist activities go hand in hand with
the psychological war, propaganda and moral terror conducted by human rights NGOs,"
Sultygov said. "There is a need to investigate the sources financing these organizations,
including those with international status, for their potential ties to the international
terrorist network," he added.
Anna Neistat, director of the Moscow office of Human Rights Watch, dismissed the
statement, saying Sultygov had been unable to back up previous accusations against
NGOs. "The only thing he's left with is this comical allegation" Neistat told
The Associated Press.
At the same time Sergei Kovalev, a deputy of the Russian State Duma and a prominent
human rights activists, said that he would recommend his colleagues to sue Sultygov
for libel. “He must prove his allegations in court,” Kovalev concluded.