Reports of the kidnapping and violence against Zelimkhan Movlaev in Chechnya are circulating on social media. He is the brother of Mansur Movlaev, who is currently in Kazakhstan and whose extradition is being sought by Russian authorities.

According to incoming reports, Zelimkhan was taken to a hospital in May with severe rectal injuries. As a result of these injuries, he has difficulty sitting and sleeping.

The authors of the publications specifically note that Zelimkhan has no connection whatsoever to the alleged activities or circumstances of Mansur's persecution. They believe the sole purpose of the incident was to exert pressure on Mansur through his family.

"If a person completely unrelated to the case is subjected to such torture, it is not hard to imagine what awaits Mansur himself if he is handed over to those from whom he seeks protection. "These circumstances confirm that Mansur's fears about the risk of ill-treatment if extradited are based not on speculation, but on actual violence against his family," the Instagram account free_mansour_movlaev states.

It also notes that Zelimkhan's family and friends oppose public disclosure of the incident.

"However, we are convinced that silence in such circumstances does not protect people, but only creates conditions for impunity. When violence remains hidden, it can happen again and again.

We do not seek to cause further pain to the family. On the contrary, the purpose of this publication is to draw attention to the situation and prevent even more serious consequences," the authors explain.

In 2024, Mansur Movlaev, who had already left Russia, reported the kidnapping of his two brothers, Zelimkhan and Khamzat. According to him, they were held at the Urus-Martan district police station and tortured in an attempt to pressure him.

In 2020, Mansur Movlaev was sentenced to three years in prison on drug trafficking charges. The activist himself attributed this persecution to his criticism of the Chechen authorities. In 2022, he was released on parole, but in August of that year, he was abducted by officers from the Shali district police department in Chechnya. He was held in a so-called "illegal prison" and tortured. In 2023, he managed to escape and reach Kyrgyzstan without documents. In May 2025, he was detained in Kazakhstan at the request of Russia, where Movlaev was wanted for financing extremist activity. He is currently in extradition custody in Kazakhstan, awaiting a final decision on his asylum application.