Usam Baysaev

Mr. Usam Baysaev "is a journalist and human rights worker who has monitored and reported on the crisis in Chechnya from the onset of the second Chechen war. As a member of the Human Rights Center Memorial, he documents human rights violations and compiles the center’s “Chronicle of Violence,” a monthly account of war crimes and human rights violations perpetrated in the war-torn republic. Mr. Baysaev also serves as a freelance writer and Chechen desk correspondent for Radio Free Europe. He is the author of a book on Novye Aldy and co-author of the book series People Live Here, based on the “Chronicle of Violence.” During his fellowship, Mr. Baysaev worked on a book analyzing social and political developments in Chechnya since 1996. As the reflections of a human rights activist, the book seeks to dispel popular myths concerning Chechnya, offer an analysis of the legal aspects of the Chechen conflict, and focus on the human dimension of war."

• 2007–2008, NED Past Fellows