The purpose of the invitation is stated as “developing ties with compatriots, preserving spiritual and cultural bonds with the historical homeland, and participating in events that strengthen ethnic and interfaith harmony.”

Undoubtedly, as descendants of our ancestors who were forced to flee 166 years ago, visiting Daymohk (the Homeland), seeing the places where our grandfathers lived, finding our relatives, and satisfying our longing is the most natural right of every Chechen, no matter where they are in the world; such visits must absolutely take place. However, it is an unacceptable mistake for those who participated in this invitation—under the guise of strengthening spiritual bonds—to become propaganda tools for the local collaborators of the occupiers, and to silently listen to the defamation of our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their homeland during orchestrated brainwashing sessions.

The close relationship that certain individuals—who once claimed to fight for the independence of the Chechen Republic and felt honoured to support the freedom struggle of the Chechen nation—have established today with this regime, which declares everyone participating in or supporting this freedom struggle as “terrorists,” is not only a political inconsistency but also a moral and conscientious collapse.

For the regime with which relations are established today is no ordinary administration. This regime is a structure that openly collaborates with Russian war policies responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent Chechens, and establishes a system of fear and oppression over its own people. For those who once spoke of the pain of the innocent Chechen people crushed and massacred under Russian bombardments to now sit at the same table with the local collaborators of that order, and to accept medals and decorations from them, is a grave spiritual burden and a severe, inexplicable contradiction before history.

The activities of this regime are not limited to Chechnya alone; its tentacles have reached as far as the diaspora in Türkiye. The threats, pressure, assassinations, and dark relations aimed at Chechen dissidents living in Türkiye have been known for years. One of the most painful examples of this is the martyrdom of the late Medet Önlü in Ankara. In the memory of the diaspora, this assassination is not just the death of a human being, but a bloody message delivered to the diaspora in Türkiye through the politics of fear.

Regrettably, in the face of the answer given by the representatives of the regime to the questions asked about this murder—stating, “We are hearing the name Medet for the first time”—the diaspora had to settle for a heartbreaking response from certain figures saying, “Thank you for your sincere answer.”

The same mentality continues to be enforced today against Chechen refugees in Türkiye through different methods. For Chechen refugees who have tried to survive in Türkiye over the last thirty years because their lives were in danger—and even for children born in Türkiye—fraudulent restriction codes are generated through Interpol based on allegations of “terrorist links.” This aims to prevent these people, who already live under harsh conditions, from obtaining residence permits, working to feed their families, ensuring their children receive an education, or even receiving medical treatment in hospitals.

Participating in the official invitation of such a regime, listening to the propaganda of its officials defaming our martyrs, and presenting medals—whose purpose of issuance is not even clear—as a matter of “honour” cannot be explained merely as a political choice. This is a matter that must be questioned from a conscientious, moral, and spiritual perspective.

Under today’s circumstances, no Chechen living in the Turkish diaspora prioritizes settling scores with the regime in Chechnya. However, while hundreds of thousands of our kinsmen—who over the last thirty years, just like during the 1944 deportation, had to leave behind their homes, parents, relatives, graves, and all their memories to seek refuge in Türkiye and various countries around the world—are struggling to survive under dire conditions before our very eyes; posing happily with the officials of the regime responsible for this is not an act that consists of merely taking a photograph. The issue is whether one will stand by the oppressed or serve the legitimation of tyranny.

The Chechen people are a nation that has endured deportations, wars, losses, and betrayals. To speak for years using the pain of this nation and then to appear in the same ranks with those responsible for that pain is a great disrespect to the memory of the martyrs, the families of the missing, and the people who still live under constant threat.

Therefore, we call upon our kinsmen who visit their ancestral homeland to be vigilant so as not to unwittingly, or through faits accomplis, become instruments of such propaganda and oppression. As for those who deliberately insist on doing so, we leave them to the unerring conscience of history and the justice of Allah. However, everyone should know well that the Chechen diaspora in Türkiye, as in previous attempts, will not give credit to fifth column activities this time either, and will thwart the actions of these individuals.

History sometimes writes about people not by the words they speak, but by when and next to whom they stood. And no medal, no official invitation, and no propaganda image is enough to silence consciences in the face of truth.