It sounds like it may well be a tough time to be a women in Chechnya, according to this disturbing story in the Independent. Apparently, in the region's capital Grozny, an unpleasant new trend involves men in cars cruising the streets and firing paint balls at women they consider to be in 'Un-Islamic dress'.
What's worse is that rumours abound that this is state backed, with cars driven by policemen, under instruction from the government. At the very least the activities have been granted whole hearted endorsement by Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's Kremlin backed president who claims that the offending females should just 'disappear from the earth'.
Not that it should matter a single bit what the women were actually wearing, but misdirection and propaganda also seem to be rife, with Kadyrov claiming that the guilty parties are all but naked. However, a Youtube video seemingly shot from inside one of the cars, shows women in dresses and skirts well below the knee being assaulted as the men shout abuse and instruct them to cover their heads.
And what, exactly, are the Russian authorities doing about all of this? Well that would be a big fat nothing. It seems that fears of provoking an Islamic insurgency are conclusively trumping women's rights, and human rights in general here.
