Chechen leader to sue rights group

MOSCOW: Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov is to sue the Russian rights group Memorial for defamation after it accused him over the murder of activist Natalya Estemirova, his lawyer said on Friday.

"I have prepared and will file to court a complaint on protecting the honour, worthiness and professional reputation of the president of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov," lawyer Andrei Krasnenkov told Interfax.

Memorial's head Oleg Orlov had accused the pro-Kremlin Chechen leader of being responsible for the murder of Estemirova on Wednesday, saying he was guilty irrespective of who ordered the killing.