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 Lefortovo court in Moscow extended the arrest of 25-year-old Ukrainian citizen and Crimean Tatar Leniya Umerova until March 4, 2025. Russian authorities accuse her of espionage. The lawyers insisted on a written undertaking not to leave the place. They are not informed about investigative actions.
Previously, Umerova was held in Vladikavkaz for more than five months, from where she was taken to Moscow.
Let us remind you that in December 2022, a girl tried to travel from Kyiv to Crimea to visit her sick father. Taking into account the political situation, she transited through a number of European countries. Upon entering the Russian Federation, she had to go through a checkpoint in North Ossetia. After crossing the border with Russia, she was detained, a report was drawn up on violation of border crossing rules and she was sent to the Temporary Detention Center for Foreigners in Vladikavkaz.
In March, the court ruled that Umerova did not pose a danger to Russia, she was released, but almost immediately she was detained again and a report was drawn up on disobedience to police officers. The girl was arrested three times for 15 days, and then accused of espionage without specifying the reasons or details.