US imposes visa sanctions against Ramzan Kadyrov and his family

The United States imposes visa sanctions against the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. According to Washington, Ramzan and his family members are involved in human rights violations. This is stated in a statement issued on Monday by US Secretary of state Michael Pompeo.

“Today, the State Department imposes sanctions against Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic in the Russian Federation,” the document says. It emphasizes that the restrictions are applied in accordance with the American law, which provides for a ban on entry into the United States for foreigners who are considered by the American authorities to be involved in corruption and human rights violations.

“The sanctions are imposed because of Kadyrov’s involvement in serious human rights violations in the Chechen Republic,” says the head of the us foreign Ministry. In addition to the head of Chechnya, restrictions apply to his wife Medni Kadyrova, as well as daughters Aishat Kadyrova and Khadizhat Kadyrova. “We will encourage countries with similar views to take similar measures,” Pompeo said.

“We have already imposed economic sanctions against Kadyrov and several of his associates,” the document also notes. The US Treasury Department in 2017 included five Russians, including the head of Chechnya, in the list of Magnitsky – in total, it included the names of 49 Russians. The US administration claimed that Kadyrov was involved in”extrajudicial killings, torture and other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” The Kremlin then promised to apply the principle of reciprocity in response to the us Treasury’s sanctions.