Tumso Abdurachmanov is one of the most well-known critics of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The blogger has been living in exile for years. But even in Western Europe he cannot feel safe. Two years ago he survived an assassination attempt in his Stockholm apartment. On the second attempt, his enemies now reach their target.
According to consistent media reports, a well-known Chechen opposition blogger has been killed in Sweden. Tumso Abdurakhmanov was shot dead by a group of people, the Telegram channel of the "Adat" movement said, citing "informants from Europe and Chechnya". The movement is banned in Russia because of its criticism of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. According to a report by Radio Liberty, Abdurakhmanov's comrades-in-arms confirmed his death. Accordingly, the 36-year-old was shot dead in Sweden on Friday night. In which city is not known.
Swedish authorities have not yet commented on the case. The police are aware of media reports about the killing of a person living in Sweden, said spokeswoman Sofia Hellqvist when asked by ntv.de. However, she could neither confirm nor comment further.
Tumso Abdurakhmanov was known for his criticism of the Chechen authorities. Around 475,000 people follow his YouTube channel. In 2015 he left the Russian republic - according to the media after a conflict with Islam Kadyrov, the nephew of the Chechen boss. The opposition activist received asylum in Sweden.
In 2019, Abdurakhmanov called Akhmat Kadyrov a traitor to Chechnya in a YouTube video. Akhmat Kadyrov was the first president of the Russian republic and father of today's Chechen boss. Magomed Daudov, speaker of the Chechen parliament, then threatened the blogger with blood revenge. In a live stream on Instagram, Daudov explained that he and his "brothers" would be looking for Abdurakhmanov "as long as blood flows through his veins". However, they had no intention of killing him, the speaker of the parliament explained in the video.
"We will settle it according to Muslim laws. We will not kill you, but amuse you in an amazing way," said Daudov. "From now on, lock the door when you go to bed. Look around you when you go out into the street. If you suddenly get kicked from behind, know that it's not a coincidence ' the speaker of parliament threatened in the stream, which was later deleted.
In February 2020, Abdurakhmanov survived an assassination attempt in his apartment in Stockholm. The attacker hit the blogger in the head with a hammer. However, Abdurakhmanov eventually overpowered the perpetrator and called the police. A year later, the assassin and his accomplice were sentenced to several years in prison in Sweden. Although the client was not identified, the public prosecutor explained in the process that "all traces lead to Grozny".
After the verdict in the case of the attack on Tumso Abdurakhmanov, an assassination attempt on his brother Mochmad in Germany was prevented. Mochmad Abdurachmanow was living in Bavaria as an asylum seeker at the time. He is also an activist who campaigns for an independent Chechnya on social media. The aim of the planned crime was to "silence the brother of the announced victim in particular," the federal prosecutor said in June. After the murder of his brother, Mochamad Abdurachmanov was taken to a safe place by the authorities, Adat said on Telegram. It is not known in which country he is currently located.
In recent years, several of Kadyrov's opponents have been killed in Europe. Umar Israilov, a former member of the Chechen presidential bodyguard and later a human rights activist, was shot dead in Vienna in January 2009. The blogger Mamichan Umarov was killed there in July 2020 - five months after another blogger who was critical of Kadyrov, Imran Aliev, was found in a hotel room in Lille, France, with 135 stab wounds.
