Unmasked

Head of Chechen security Ruslan Alkhanov has ordered ordered his men to shoot and kill any masked person who appears on the streets. Reuters reports that

Russian interior ministry officials however objected.

"This arbitrary decision should have been considered from a legal point of view," a high-ranking ministry source told Interfax. "One should also have thought about its consequences."

A spokesman for the Interior ministry forces told Interfax that officers and soldiers had a right under law to wear masks during security operations.

"There is a category of law-enforcement officers who should conceal their faces due to the specific nature of their work," Colonel Vasili Panchenkov said. "This right is protected by ... federal laws."

"A ban on masks could harm officers who are fighting crime on the front line," he added.

(via chechnya-sl)