Soltayev received a certificate for his services in protecting human rights amid denial of human rights violations.
Putin awarded the Chechen Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltayev, who has repeatedly denied human rights violations in the republic and justified the actions of Chechen security forces, with a certificate of honor "for services in strengthening the rule of law and protecting the rights and interests of citizens."
"Caucasian Knot" wrote that in December 2025, Chechnya Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltayev announced an award from the Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus for the promotion of spiritual values.
Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the Chechen Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltayev with a certificate of honor, according to the presidential decree "On Incentives," published on June 26 on the legal information portal.
Among those awarded — and other regional representatives, including regional ombudsmen. Along with Soltayev, the human rights ombudsmen in the Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow regions, as well as the Donetsk People's Republic, received honorary certificates stating "for services in strengthening the rule of law and protecting the rights and interests of citizens," according to the document.
Mansur Soltayev was appointed to the post of human rights ombudsman in Chechnya in December 2021 at the initiative of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. During this time, he has repeatedly denied human rights violations by the Chechen authorities.
For example, he claimed that Chechen security forces acted within the law when they detained Zarema Musayeva in Nizhny Novgorod.
He also appeared in a video with Seda Suleimanova after she was returned to Chechnya and stated that the girl was in no danger. After this, nothing is known about the girl's fate; her friend pushed for an investigation into the murder.
After the death of 23-year-old Chechen native Ayshat Baimuradova, who escaped domestic violence with the help of human rights activists, was reported in Yerevan, Soltayev accused those who helped Ayshat Baimuradova leave Russia of involvement in her death. He also published voice messages in which, allegedly, Ayshat Baimuradova, who fled Chechnya, talks about a conflict with human rights activists. Commentators called his version absurd, suggesting the audio was falsified, and asked where Soltayev got this information.
The Chechen authorities are not investigating the death of Aishat Baimuradova and have used her murder to intimidate potential fugitives from Chechnya and discredit human rights activists. Human rights activists say the actions of Mansur Soltayev, who has become the face of this campaign, are aimed at deflecting responsibility from the Chechen authorities.
In response to the UN Human Rights Committee's comments on human rights in the republic, Soltayev stated that the identified problems are artificially created, and that there are no human rights violations in the republic. The Human Rights Commissioner also commented on the beating of journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov in Chechnya, calling it a provocation aimed at discrediting the republic's authorities.
As a reminder, in March 2023, Ramzan Kadyrov was awarded the "Honored Human Rights Defender of the Chechen Republic" medal. The head of Chechnya was awarded for outstanding achievements in protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, Chechen Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltayev stated at the time.