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).
On December 11, the Shali City Court of Chechnya will consider a petition for the parole of Zarema Musaeva. However, the leadership of the colony-settlement in Argun, where the woman is serving her sentence, asked to remain in custody. This was reported by the Team Against Torture.
As noted by lawyer Alexander Savin, despite the positive characteristics addressed to Musayeva, the colony leadership opposed parole with the wording “the goals of the punishment were not achieved.” According to the description, during the two months of her stay in the colony, Zarema did not receive disciplinary sanctions and did not violate the order. However, the text also says that she “demonstrates blackmailing behavior, has not admitted her guilt and does not always respond positively to educational conversations.”
Alexander Savin believes that these arguments contradict the position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation: The corresponding resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court directly prohibits taking into account the short duration of serving a sentence and non-admission of guilt when considering an application for parole.”
Let us recall that in July, a court in Grozny found Zarema Musaeva guilty of using violence against a police officer and fraud and sentenced her to five years in prison. According to investigators, a woman scratched the face of a police officer from Chechnya while she was being taken from an apartment in Nizhny Novgorod to Grozny.
In addition, she was accused of aiding a certain Madina Azimova, who fraudulently issued consumer loans to insolvent borrowers.
According to lawyers, given her state of health, Musaeva cannot serve her sentence. She suffers from type 2 diabetes and has had persistent nosebleeds and arm pain.
Zarema Musayeva is the mother of Chechen activists Abubakar, Ibragim and Baysangur Yangulbaev. Human rights activists claim that she was kidnapped as a hostage and convicted of her sons’ opposition activities.