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| Chechen newspaper shut down after reporter asks Putin a question | Chechen newspaper shut down after reporter asks Putin a question |
| (10 days later) | |
| When Chechen journalist Bilkhi Dudaeva stood up and asked Vladimir Putin a question during the president's annual press conference on Thursday, she probably thought she was doing her homeland proud. | When Chechen journalist Bilkhi Dudaeva stood up and asked Vladimir Putin a question during the president's annual press conference on Thursday, she probably thought she was doing her homeland proud. |
| Instead, Dudaeva's newspaper was shut down by the end of the marathon question-and-answer session, having caught the ire of Ramzan Kadyrov, the ruthless leader of Chechnya. | Instead, Dudaeva's newspaper was shut down by the end of the marathon question-and-answer session, having caught the ire of Ramzan Kadyrov, the ruthless leader of Chechnya. |
| Dudaeva introduced herself to Putin as a journalist from the newspaper "Kadyrov's Path," eliciting laughter from a group of reporters well versed in the Chechen leader's powerful cult of personality. | Dudaeva introduced herself to Putin as a journalist from the newspaper "Kadyrov's Path," eliciting laughter from a group of reporters well versed in the Chechen leader's powerful cult of personality. |
| Putin immediately turned a tough eye to the crowd: "The animation in the room is inappropriate – we're talking about the elder Kadyrov, who was killed in the interests of his people. I would ask you to accept this without laughter." | Putin immediately turned a tough eye to the crowd: "The animation in the room is inappropriate – we're talking about the elder Kadyrov, who was killed in the interests of his people. I would ask you to accept this without laughter." |
| Kadyrov's father, Akhmad Kadyrov, was assassinated in a bomb blast in 2004 amid a civil war with separatist Islamist insurgents who refused to accept the former mufti's co-operation with Moscow. | Kadyrov's father, Akhmad Kadyrov, was assassinated in a bomb blast in 2004 amid a civil war with separatist Islamist insurgents who refused to accept the former mufti's co-operation with Moscow. |
| Dudaeva praised the peace that had fallen upon Chechnya since: "Now, thank goodness, Chechnya has become a zone of peace, prosperity, social-economic development. In general, we live well and peacefully in Chechnya now." Then she asked Putin why the violence that was once focused on Chechnya had spread to its neighbouring republics. She followed up by asking about the fate of a local radio station. | Dudaeva praised the peace that had fallen upon Chechnya since: "Now, thank goodness, Chechnya has become a zone of peace, prosperity, social-economic development. In general, we live well and peacefully in Chechnya now." Then she asked Putin why the violence that was once focused on Chechnya had spread to its neighbouring republics. She followed up by asking about the fate of a local radio station. |
| The questions were apparently not to Kadyrov's liking. Within hours, the Chechen leader issued a statement saying that "Kadyrov's Path" had been closed. | The questions were apparently not to Kadyrov's liking. Within hours, the Chechen leader issued a statement saying that "Kadyrov's Path" had been closed. |
| "Speaking about the content of her questions, Kadyrov noted that they carried a provocative character and were not directly linked to the republic," the statement said. | "Speaking about the content of her questions, Kadyrov noted that they carried a provocative character and were not directly linked to the republic," the statement said. |
| It also alleged that the newspaper had failed to win approval from the powerful leader for its title. "I think that in the first place they should have sought the opinion of the family, asked if they agreed to name this newspaper in Kadyrov's name. It's not ethical otherwise," Kadyrov said. | It also alleged that the newspaper had failed to win approval from the powerful leader for its title. "I think that in the first place they should have sought the opinion of the family, asked if they agreed to name this newspaper in Kadyrov's name. It's not ethical otherwise," Kadyrov said. |
| A report on Grozny Inform, a state-run news agency, from August 2011 showed that the opening of the newspaper, timed to coincide with a celebration of the elder Kadyrov's birthday, was attended by top officials from the Chechen government. | A report on Grozny Inform, a state-run news agency, from August 2011 showed that the opening of the newspaper, timed to coincide with a celebration of the elder Kadyrov's birthday, was attended by top officials from the Chechen government. |
| Kadyrov has been widely accused of running the republic like a personal fiefdom, allegedly amassing vast wealth and overseeing horrific human rights abuses. | Kadyrov has been widely accused of running the republic like a personal fiefdom, allegedly amassing vast wealth and overseeing horrific human rights abuses. |
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