Chechnya's leader praises the cops who beat up a man for violating coronavirus self-isolation

In a new video live-streamed on Instagram and aired on local state television, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov says he supports the police officers who recently beat up a local resident for violating the republic’s self-isolation restrictions. 

In the video, Kadyrov says the victim in the attack has repeatedly violated self-isolation. “I’d rather hit one person than bury thousands. That’s why I’m taking harsh measures. I’ll take a club to those who need it. I’ll throw them in prison and put them underground, but I will protect my people,” Kadyrov said.

Footage of police officers attacking a man in the town of Argun appeared on April 4. Afterward, in a segment that aired on state television, the victim, his brother, and another two men apologized on camera. Argun’s deputy chief of police, Umer Dzhabrailov, later stated that he does not support his subordinates’ actions and said he would discipline them based on an official internal review.

In the fight against the spread of coronavirus, Chechnya has imposed some of the strictest containment measures in all of Russia. On April 5, Kadyrov closed Chechnya’s boundaries with all neighboring regions. A day later, however, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin insisted that only the federal government has this authority.