Location: Moscow, Russia
Date: February 11, 2022

Journalist Elena Milashina was forced to flee the country after repeated threats from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. This is not the first time Kadyrov has threatened Elena, who was also targeted in 2017 and the 2020. The latest conflict has been steadily accelerating since January and concerns a story Milashina pursued about the involvement of Chechen authorities in threatening a former judge and his family.

Elena Milashina, who covers human rights in Chechnya, collaborated on the story with Igor Kalyapin, the founder of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture. The article was published on her employer platform Novaya Gazeta and also found coverage on Dozhd TV. However, due to the nature of the threats, Novaya Gazeta has decided to relocate Elena outside the country in order to protect her. Things became volatile when in a Telegram Post, Kadyrov accused Elena of being a terrorist, and demanded her arrest, warning that Chechen authorities “always destroy terrorists and their accomplices, and will continue to do so in the future.”

Defending Kadyrov, the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that it is "his right" to use these words "in relation to these people”. However, Novaya Gazeta registered a criminal complaint against Kadyrov under the article on inciting hatred or enmity (clause “a”, part 2 of article 282 of the Criminal Code). In response, On February 2, Ismail Denilkhanov, chairman of the Chechen Public Chamber, demanded, in front of a rally full of supporters, that Novaya Gazeta and Dozhd TV be shut down, referring to them as “enemy media”.

Speaking to Dhozd TV, Elena admitted that her employers believe that the risk against her is “high”.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges Russian authorities to immediately ensure Elena Milashina’s safety and investigate the threats being made against her. Elena’s life is at risk solely because of her work. This sets an extremely dangerous precedent for the future of press freedoms and human rights in the country, and must immediately be countered through law. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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