More than 100 Russian rights activists and other public figures have called on the Kremlin to protect a prominent journalist after the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, posted what were seen as thinly veiled threats on Instagram.

Kadyrov’s video addressed the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, after it published a critical exposé by the reporter Elena Milashina on Chechnya’s coronavirus crackdown. The article alleged that the government’s measures to isolate those suspected to be infected were so severe that some were hiding from the police.

The article prompted an angry response from Kadyrov, who said in a since-deleted Instagram video: “If you want us to commit a crime and become criminals, then just say so. Someone will take on this burden, responsibility, and will be punished according to the law, serve time in prison and be released. Don’t try to turn us into bandits, murderers.”

In the open letter published on Tuesday, a collection of prominent writers, actors and musicians, along with the heads of the country’s top human rights agencies, called for a criminal case to be opened against Kadyrov and for Milashina to be put under state protection.

Reported signatories included the popular novelist Lyudmila Ulitskaya, the writer Dmitry Bykov, the actor Liya Akhedzhakova and the heads of Memorial and other human rights groups in Russia.

A Kremlin spokesperson described Kadyrov’s video as “emotional” but added: “It’s an emotional situation right now. We didn’t see anything unusual there.”

Novaya Gazeta was forced to take Milashina’s article down from its website after the general prosecutor’s office said it contained false and socially significant information “that creates a danger to the lives and health of citizens”.

Tanya Lokshina, the associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement: “The Kremlin’s dismissive reaction to this serious threat against Novaya Gazeta is simply unacceptable and dangerous … Kadyrov asked for a signal and this is like a stark green light to Chechen officials to act on their threats.”

Vladimir Putin installed Kadyrov as Chechnya’s leader in 2007 to serve as a strongman capable of preventing a return to war at all costs. In return, Kadyrov has been allowed to dominate power in the region, building up a personal guard of security forces known as Kadyrovtsy and winning elections in 2016 with nearly 98% of the vote. His father, the former Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov, was assassinated in 2004.

Under the younger Kadyrov’s leadership, the capital city, Grozny, has been rebuilt with several towering skyscrapers, but there has been a chilling crackdown on public freedoms, with opponents of the government hounded both at home and abroad.

In its country report for Russia, Reporters without Borders describes Chechnya as a “black [hole] from which little news and information emerges”.﻿