Zarema Musayeva, who was sentenced to five and a half years in prison the day before by a court in Grozny, cannot serve her sentence due to her health condition. She has insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, according to the Anti-Torture Team.

For a year and a half of arrest, the dose of insulin administered to the woman was doubled (blood sugar is twice the norm). “Zarema Musaeva, according to a preliminary diagnosis during her examination in March 2022, cannot serve her sentence in a colony,” said Alexander Savin, Zarema’s lawyer.

However, the colony to which the woman will end up when the sentence comes into force will also conduct an examination. The diagnosis can be refuted, and with it the reason why Zarema could be released.

Musayeva was found guilty of using violence against a police officer. She is the mother of Chechen human rights activists. Last year she was kidnapped by the security forces, and later a fictitious criminal case was opened against her. Novaya Gazeta journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov were on their way to the sentencing. On the way from the airport, they were severely beaten by masked gunmen.
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