As a result of mutual agreements between Moscow and Baku, a detainee exchange took place. Russia released Yusif Khalilov, the leader of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Voronezh, in response to Azerbaijan's release of Yevgeny Belousov, editor-in-chief of Sputnik Azerbaijan.
In the Chechen city of Argun, police detained 67-year-old Said-Emi Chagaev and his wife, 62-year-old Malika Chagaeva. They were soon released. Earlier, an interview with their son, Magomed Chagaev, was released on the YouTube channel Islam Kharikhanov. He spoke about the criminal case fabricated against him, torture, and discrimination against Muslims in the Federal Penitentiary Service. This was reported by the Memorial Human Rights Defense Center.
"Magomed Chagaev spent 21 years in prison on a fabricated case. He told how he was set up by a man who was amnestied by Sulim Yamadayev, how he was sent to ORB-2 in Grozny, where he was tortured and forced to admit to crimes. In the video, he shares details about prison torture, inhumane conditions of detention, and the endless pressure he was subjected to in Russian camps. His story is not just a fight for survival, but also a testament to the brutal realities of the Russian penitentiary system,” the story’s description says.
The channel’s host, Islam Kharikhanov, also served a 17-year sentence on what he says was a fabricated charge. After his release, he left Russia and now interviews Chechens with similar stories.