Umar Israilov
Encyclopedia
Umar S. Israilov was a former bodyguard of Chechen
President Ramzan Kadyrov
who became a critic of the Chechen regime. He was shot and killed in exile in Vienna
, Austria
on January 13, 2009, by associates of Ramzan Kadyrov's right hand man Adam Delimkhanov
.
, but was captured in 2003. He began serving as Ramzan Kadyrov’s bodyguard in a militia that was led by Ramzan Kadyrov's father, then Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov
. Israilov claimed to have witnessed killings, torture, and other crimes by Kadyrovites including Ramzan Kadyrov and Adam Delimkhanov
, who went on to serve in the Russian Parliament.
In 2006 Israilov and his father, Sharpuddi Israilov, each filed complaints in the European Court of Human Rights
against the Russian and Chechen governments. The case was dropped after the court sought more information but could not locate the Israilovs, who had gone into hiding.
Stratfor
quoted claims by unnamed sources that Israilov was murdered "by organized criminal assets in Vienna at the behest of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and with Kremlin approval."
After the killing, Austrian police arrested and questioned eight Chechen men who had either received or applied for asylum in Austria. In February 2009 police in Poland
arrested a man identified as Turpal Ali J. in February 2009 whom they described as an "accomplice" to Israilov's murderer.
The summary of Arthur Kurmakayev's (the man previously mentioned) interrogation by the Austrian police was published by The New York Times
, Le Monde
and Novaya Gazeta
.
In a February 3, 2009 exclusive interview with the independent Internet media Caucasian Knot (a media project related to the Memorial
society), Chivers stated that "authenticity of the list of 300 natives from Chechnya, sentenced to death by President Kadyrov, which was published in the western press, has not been proved yet". He said, "I have not seen this list, so I don't know details of its contents, and this is obviously a rich area for follow-on reporting. However, I can't guarantee its authenticity" and stated that it's very easy to compose a false list, while sites of Chechen separatists very often publish propaganda among the actual information.
On February 9, 2009 Arthur Kurmakayev, who was questioned by Austrian police about Israilov's killing, told the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta
that Austrian police had libeled him with a false report. Kurmakayev denied any connection with Kadyrov or the security services.
interviewed Timur Aliyev, an adviser to Kadyrov and a former journalist who covered the two Chechen wars extensively:
On January 23, 2009, Lema Gudayev, Kadyrov's press secretary, made an official statement that there is a "massive campaign" in the media "aimed at discrediting the government and President of the Chechen Republic." According to Gudayev, "having lost all their positions in military counteraction to bodies of power, the so-called ideologists of the terrorism put on a wide scale massive information war against Chechnya and its President Kadyrov". It is this viewpoint from which hints of alleged involvement of Kadyrov to a number of recent murders should be viewed, said Gudayev. He called upon his journalist colleagues to be more critical against disseminated rumours.
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
President Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel.Ramzan is a son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, assassinated in May 2004. In February 2007 Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President, shortly after he had turned 30, which is the minimum age for the post...
who became a critic of the Chechen regime. He was shot and killed in exile in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
on January 13, 2009, by associates of Ramzan Kadyrov's right hand man Adam Delimkhanov
Adam Delimkhanov
Adam Sultanovich Delimkhanov is a Chechen politician who has been member of the Russian State Duma for the United Russia party since 2007....
.
Biography and murder
Israilov fought against Russian forces during the Second Chechen WarSecond Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
, but was captured in 2003. He began serving as Ramzan Kadyrov’s bodyguard in a militia that was led by Ramzan Kadyrov's father, then Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov
Akhmad Kadyrov
Hajji Akhmad Abdulkhamidovich Kadyrov , also spelled Akhmat, was the Chief Mufti of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in the 1990s during and after the First Chechen War...
. Israilov claimed to have witnessed killings, torture, and other crimes by Kadyrovites including Ramzan Kadyrov and Adam Delimkhanov
Adam Delimkhanov
Adam Sultanovich Delimkhanov is a Chechen politician who has been member of the Russian State Duma for the United Russia party since 2007....
, who went on to serve in the Russian Parliament.
In 2006 Israilov and his father, Sharpuddi Israilov, each filed complaints in the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
against the Russian and Chechen governments. The case was dropped after the court sought more information but could not locate the Israilovs, who had gone into hiding.
Stratfor
Stratfor
Strategic Forecasting, Inc., more commonly known as STRATFOR, is a global intelligence company founded in 1996 in Austin, Texas by George Friedman who is the founder, chief intelligence officer, and CEO of the company...
quoted claims by unnamed sources that Israilov was murdered "by organized criminal assets in Vienna at the behest of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and with Kremlin approval."
After the killing, Austrian police arrested and questioned eight Chechen men who had either received or applied for asylum in Austria. In February 2009 police in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
arrested a man identified as Turpal Ali J. in February 2009 whom they described as an "accomplice" to Israilov's murderer.
Prosecution
An Austrian court sentenced three individuals to prison for Israilov's murder on June 1, 2011. Otto Kaltenbrunner, Suleiman Dadayev and Turpal-Ali Yesherkayev received sentences of life, 19 years, and 16 years, respectively. Austrian police believe Chechen President Kadyrov ordered Israilov's abduction, an action that later ended in murder. Lecha Bogatirov, the man suspected of firing the fatal shots, is still at large.Controversy over "List of sentenced to death"
As reported by C.J. Chivers, a journalist for the International Herald Tribune, in August 2008 Austrian authorities interviewed a Chechen man who said he had been sent to find Umar Israilov, and that Israilov was on a list of enemies whom Kadyrov allegedly intended to have killed. The man asked Israilov "to withdraw his complaints or risk being killed and having his family killed." However the Austrians did not detain the man and did not provide protection for Israilov.The summary of Arthur Kurmakayev's (the man previously mentioned) interrogation by the Austrian police was published by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
and Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta is a Russian newspaper well known in the country for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs....
.
In a February 3, 2009 exclusive interview with the independent Internet media Caucasian Knot (a media project related to the Memorial
Memorial (society)
Memorial is an international historical and civil rights society that operates in a number of post-Soviet states. It focuses on recording and publicising the Soviet Union's totalitarian past, but also monitors human rights in post-Soviet states....
society), Chivers stated that "authenticity of the list of 300 natives from Chechnya, sentenced to death by President Kadyrov, which was published in the western press, has not been proved yet". He said, "I have not seen this list, so I don't know details of its contents, and this is obviously a rich area for follow-on reporting. However, I can't guarantee its authenticity" and stated that it's very easy to compose a false list, while sites of Chechen separatists very often publish propaganda among the actual information.
On February 9, 2009 Arthur Kurmakayev, who was questioned by Austrian police about Israilov's killing, told the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta is a Russian newspaper well known in the country for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs....
that Austrian police had libeled him with a false report. Kurmakayev denied any connection with Kadyrov or the security services.
Official responses
The day after the murder, The Moscow TimesThe Moscow Times
The Moscow Times is an English-language daily newspaper published in Moscow, Russia since 1992. The circulation in 2008 stood at 35,000 copies and the newspaper is typically given out for free at places English-language "expats" attend, including hotels, cafés and restaurants, as well as by...
interviewed Timur Aliyev, an adviser to Kadyrov and a former journalist who covered the two Chechen wars extensively:
On January 23, 2009, Lema Gudayev, Kadyrov's press secretary, made an official statement that there is a "massive campaign" in the media "aimed at discrediting the government and President of the Chechen Republic." According to Gudayev, "having lost all their positions in military counteraction to bodies of power, the so-called ideologists of the terrorism put on a wide scale massive information war against Chechnya and its President Kadyrov". It is this viewpoint from which hints of alleged involvement of Kadyrov to a number of recent murders should be viewed, said Gudayev. He called upon his journalist colleagues to be more critical against disseminated rumours.