It’s been two months since Salman Tepsurkayev, a resident of Chechnya, was subjected to sexual violence and torture, and then disappeared without a trace. In early September, videos showing the ill-treatment of the 19-year-old man emerged online, sparking a strong reaction in Chechen communities around the world.
The Tepsurkayev case is shocking, but it’s already the new norm - whether inside or outside Chechnya, the republic’s authorities abduct, torture and kill those who disagree with them online.
“A slug in your forehead or sit on a bottle”
In April 2020, a new Telegram channel appeared in Chechnya, and immediately hit the headlines. The 1adat channel (adat means “custom” in Chechen) positions itself as a “popular movement against the Putin-Kadyrov dictatorship”. Based on the popular Telegram app, the social media channel carries stories about abductions and torture of Chechen residents by local law enforcement, and broadcasts fierce criticism of public officials at various levels.
