Elena Patyaeva—a friend of Seda Suleymanova, who disappeared three years ago after being forcibly returned from St. Petersburg to Chechnya—was detained in Grozny. On August 23, Patyaeva stood by the monument to journalists who died for freedom of speech, holding a sign that read: "I demand an investigation into the murder of Seda Suleymanova." This was reported by the human rights project "Slovo Zashchite" (Word for the Defense).
The Southern District Military Court upheld the decision of the lower court and upheld the sentence of Corporal Madina Kabaleva from Kabardino-Balkaria. She was sentenced to six years in prison under Art. 337 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (failure to appear for service without good reason during the period of mobilization).
According to investigators, Kabaloeva applied to the medical company of a military unit, where she was recommended for temporary exemption from military service due to pregnancy and the presence of a five-year-old child. However, due to her failure to appear before the leadership of the military unit, a criminal case was opened against the woman, despite the fact that she had a medical certificate for temporary release from service. Due to her pregnancy, the court deferred the serviceman's sentence until 2032.