Lithuania under fire over Chechnya match

A planned football international pitting Lithuania against Russia in Chechnya sparked fierce criticism Tuesday, as officials warned that it would be tantamount to ignoring human rights abuses.

Lithuania's ruling Conservatives urged their nation's football association to call off Saturday's friendly between Lithuania and Russia's B teams in the Chechen capital Grozny.

"Russia is seeking to show that Lithuanian sportsmen close their eyes to … war crimes and other gross human rights abuses," Conservative lawmakers said in a statement.

Chechnya, known for two separatist wars in the wake of the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, remains plagued by a simmering Islamist insurgency and suicide bombings.

Moscow claims the region has returned to normal, but human rights activists say it turns a blind eye to torture and killings continuing in Chechnya and the heavy-handed tactics of local leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Lithuania's ties with Moscow have been rocky since its own non-violent independence movement won independence 1991 after five decades of Kremlin rule.

Lithuania's foreign ministry also questioned the match plan.

"The ministry was surprised by intention to play a friendly match in Grozny," spokesman Mindaugas Lasas told AFP on Tuesday.

"The ministry brought to federation’s notice that the North Caucasus region is included on the list of non-recommended countries," he added.

But Lithuania's football association rejected the criticism, insisting pulling out would be wrongheaded and could breach rules set by the sport's world governing body FIFA meant to keep politics out of the game.

"A refusal to go to the game in Grozny could be treated as a political step. In that case Lithuania could face tough FIFA sanctions," it said on its website.

Last month, Chechnya launched grandiose celebrations to mark Kadyrov's 35th birthday, with Hollywood actors Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank, plus violinist Vanessa Mae, participating in the festivities in the capital Grozny.

Swank later said that she deeply regretted attending the controversial event.