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| New Chechen president takes oath | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Former Chechen rebel Ramzan Kadyrov has been sworn in as president of Russia's troubled southern republic of Chechnya. | |
| Russia says he has restored stability and helped rebuild the capital, Grozny. | |
| But human rights groups say he rules by fear, using a private militia to kidnap, torture and kill Chechens. | |
| His inauguration marks the logical end of Moscow's policy of Chechenisation - handing over direct responsibility for running the region to ethnic Chechens. | His inauguration marks the logical end of Moscow's policy of Chechenisation - handing over direct responsibility for running the region to ethnic Chechens. |
| 'Hero of Russia' | 'Hero of Russia' |
| Mr Kadyrov took the oath at his residence in Chechnya's second city, Gudermes. | |
| class="" href="/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6414603.stm">Scars amid Chechen revival | |
| Russia's Itar-Tass news agency says he took the oath in the Russian language, keeping his hand on the Russian constitution, the Chechen constitution and the Koran. | |
| The event crowns the remarkable transformation of a barely educated rebel fighter into a powerful regional figure and loyal servant of Moscow, the BBC's Russian affairs analyst Steven Eke says. | |
| Mr Kadyrov was appointed prime minister of Chechnya after the assassination of his father, former pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov. | Mr Kadyrov was appointed prime minister of Chechnya after the assassination of his father, former pro-Moscow Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov. |
| Ramzan Kadyrov quickly became the single most powerful individual in the republic, stamping his authority by using a feared private militia, known as the Kadyrovtsy. | Ramzan Kadyrov quickly became the single most powerful individual in the republic, stamping his authority by using a feared private militia, known as the Kadyrovtsy. |
| He has received Russia's highest state honour - the Hero of Russia medal. | |
| Russian and international human rights groups, as well as the Council of Europe, allege that the militia continues to commit serious crimes and human rights abuses - including extortion, kidnappings, torture and summary executions. | Russian and international human rights groups, as well as the Council of Europe, allege that the militia continues to commit serious crimes and human rights abuses - including extortion, kidnappings, torture and summary executions. |
| Both Mr Kadyrov and the Kremlin deny the allegations. | Both Mr Kadyrov and the Kremlin deny the allegations. |
| Moscow's policy of Chechenisation is not without risks, Steven Eke says. | |
| Some Russians argue that, in setting Chechens against fellow Chechens, Moscow has gained short-term peace but opened the way to an eventual, inevitable civil war, in the long-term. | Some Russians argue that, in setting Chechens against fellow Chechens, Moscow has gained short-term peace but opened the way to an eventual, inevitable civil war, in the long-term. |
| Others question Mr Kadyrov's loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow - pointing to his dalliances with Sharia law, as well as his pledges to defend ethnic Chechens, who often experience racial discrimination, wherever they may be in other parts of Russia. | Others question Mr Kadyrov's loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow - pointing to his dalliances with Sharia law, as well as his pledges to defend ethnic Chechens, who often experience racial discrimination, wherever they may be in other parts of Russia. |