Facebook: Kadyrov's Accounts Blocked Because of US Sanctions

[TomSea]

Facebook: Kadyrov's Accounts Blocked Because of US Sanctions
RFE/RL

Facebook says it blocked the social-media accounts of Ramzan Kadyrov because the Kremlin-backed Chechen leader had become subject to financial and travel sanctions imposed by the U.S. government.

The company said in a statement Thursday it had the "legal obligation" to disable Kadyrov’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram, which it also owns, after the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on December 20 hit the Chechen leader with sanctions.

"We became aware and have now confirmed that the accounts appear to be maintained by or on behalf of parties who appear on the U.S. Specially Designated Nationals List and, thus, subject to U.S. trade sanctions," the statement said.

Read more at: https://www.voanews.com/a/facebook-instagram-kadyrov-chechnya-blocked-us-sanctions/4183885.html

So, this Kadyrov guy has been a loose cannon, where he rules, Chechnya has had a harsh crackdown on gays. Reading from the story, it sounds like there are some other issues too. It's interesting that the US government is doing this so, this comes from the Trump administration? Is what I'm thinking. Persecution is wrong, one doesn't have to agree or endorse a certain lifestyle and it sounds like the persecution has been pretty bad.

[edpc]

Kadyrov has denied there is a gay purge because there aren't any gays in Chechnya to begin with.  Well, I've seen his beard and I disagree.