R. Kadyrov: “For investigators it does not matter whether they deal with a regular citizen or the Republic head”
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov demands that officials and law enforcement agents should strictly follow the law.
“We do not have officials who are allowed to be above the law. Any state agent in Chechnya should strictly observe the Russian Federation law”, said R. Kadyrov while meeting with Prosecutor for Chechnya Mikhail Savchin, Chechen Minsiter of the Interior Ruslan Alkhanov and head of human rights NGO “Committee against Torture” Igor Kalyapin.
I. Kalyapin is the head of the Joint Mobile Group of Russian human rights defenders working in Chechnya.
R. Kadyrov paid special attention to the necessity of a close contact between law enforcement agencies and the Investigation Committee under the RF Prosecutor’s Office for Chechnya when investigating into crimes arousing great public concern.
He emphasized that any citizen irrespective of his position, records and rank should immediately visit the investigator if he is summoned to make a testimony.
“It does not matter where you work – in the Ministry of the Interior, Government, law enforcement agency, etc. The law is the same for all Russian citizens. Everyone is equal. Those who forget it must be held responsible immediately”, said the Chechen President.
I. Kalyapin mentioned that, according to his knowledge, some police officers either did not perform the investigators’ requests or did not do it promptly. He said that there were also cases when police officers did not show up for an interrogation.
I. Kalyapin also stated that the investigators did not show enough persistence and did not always summon officials for an interrogation.
At the same time M. Savchin noted that police officers did not go for an interrogation only in cases when they were busy doing their jobs and were located in some distant mountain areas of the Republic.
However, the Chechen President underlined that there could be no plausible excuse for no-show when there was an official summons.
“Wherever one is located, the law is to be observed. It is possible to arrive at any location of our Republic within one day. If there are force-majeure circumstances, it is always possible to shift the date of the visit”, stated Mr. Kadyrov and asked Mr. Alkhanov to keep this problem under his personal control.
“Even if investigators want to question the top people, the latter have to give their testimony. This is how it must be. Those who forget about it will be punished. Investigators should not be guided by principles not foreseen by the law. If they are going to think whether the people questioned are going to like it, criminal cases will remain unsolved. For investigators it does not matter whether they deal with a regular citizen or the Republic head”, said R. Kadyrov.
“I, being the President of Chechnya, have always insisted that top people and state agents should set the pattern of compliance with the law. Laws cannot be divided into those we like and we do not like. Law is law and it should be strictly followed. If there are questions to be asked to a top official, he is obliged to answer them. And investigators should exercise their powers and perform their duties”, urged R. Kadyrov.
I. Kalyapin commented that the discussion was robust and a lot of important issues were raised in course of it.