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).
Former Sports Minister of Dagestan Magomed Magomedov has been added to the list of terrorists and extremists by Rosfinmonitoring. He is accused of aiding terrorist activity using his official position.
Magomed Magomedov was the head of the Ministry of Sports of Dagestan from 2012 to 2021, after which he became the mayor of Kizilyurt. On October 3, 2023, he was detained by FSB special forces.
Initially, investigators from the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation charged Magomedov with embezzlement on an especially large scale. Later, he was also charged with aiding terrorism, the murder of two or more persons committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or an organized group, as well as illegal arms trafficking committed by an organized group. Law enforcement officials believe that the former official handed over $100,000 to crime boss Magomedkhabib Magomedaliev in 2009. The currency was supposed to finance one of the militant gangs operating in Dagestan at the time.
In addition to Magomedov, Khalitbeg Makhachev, head of the Dagestan Ministry of Sports, was also detained. Both were escorted to Moscow, and their homes and workplaces were searched. Jewelry, several dozen cans of caviar, and illegally stored firearms were found in Magomedov's home.