Declaration of Sovereignty of the Chechen Republic

The Decree of Sovereignty of the Chechen Republic was a formal declaration of independence for the Checheno-Ingush ASSR. Between 1991 and 2000 Chechnya was de facto an independent state as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. The declaration was issued on 1 November 1991, by the head of the All-National Congress of the Chechen People, Dzokhar Dudayev.

Background

Revolt

On 7 September 1991, the NCChP National Guard seized government buildings and the radio and television center of the Checheno-Ingush ASSR. The storming caused the death of the Grozny Soviet Communist Party chief Vitali Kutsenko, who was either thrown out of a window or fell trying to escape during a supreme soviet session that effectively dissolved the government of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR.

Referendum

Prior to the decree an independence referendum was held on October 27, 1991, which drew 72% of the populace to vote and over 90% of voters approving, meaning at least 64% of the populace approved independence. Despite claims that the election was unfair or flawed, anthropologist Arutyunov stated that it could nonetheless "be regarded as an expression of Chechen popular will". John B. Dunlop stated that some flaws had been observed, he cites Arutyunov who also stated that roughly 60-70% of the population of Chechnya supported independence at the time. Ruslan Khasbulatov claimed that the elections were un-democratic.

Decree

President Dudayev issued a decree that expressed the sovereignty of the Chechen Republic. The decree reads: