Chechnya employs 'cultural' social media monitoring under Kadyrov's son
In Chechnya, "educational talks" will be conducted with residents whose social media posts are deemed "inconsistent with Chechen culture and mentality," according to the Kavkaz.Realii portal. The entire operation will be supervised by Ramzan Kadyrov's 18-year-old son, Akhmat.
Since February, Akhmat Kadyrov, the 18-year-old son of Ramzan, the region's leader, has been at the helm of the Ministry of Youth Affairs in Chechnya. The ministry's staff aims to monitor social media to ensure users' conduct aligns with "Chechen culture".
Details on what breaches the guidelines, or who will conduct the "educational talks" remain uncertain. Likewise, it is unknown if this "education" will represent the full extent of the ministry's actions.
Kadyrov previously mentioned "educational talks"
In December 2023, Ramzan Kadyrov mentioned that measures should be enforced against local bloggers who challenge the values esteemed in Chechnya. This statement related to disciplining two bloggers and athletes, Aschab Tamayev and Arbi Yemiev, for promoting online casinos in their videos.
Ending 2022, Kadyrov also criticised Chechnya residents with long beards who do not visit mosques, suggesting they too should be subject to "educational talks".
Experts argue assigning such responsibility to an 18-year-old conflicts with Chechen traditions. Publicly instructing elders by younger individuals is seen as disrespectful, comments an academic teacher from Grozny, preferring anonymity, in a discussion with Kavkaz.Realii.
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