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 Supreme Court of Chechnya slightly commuted the sentence of Zarema Musaeva. Instead of five and a half years in a colony, she will have to serve a five-year sentence in a settlement colony. Diabetes of the second degree was recognized as a mitigating circumstance.
Let us remind you that Zarema Musayeva was found guilty of using violence against a police officer. According to lawyers, given her health condition, she cannot serve her sentence. The woman is the mother of Chechen oppositionists. Last year she was kidnapped by security forces, and later a fictitious criminal case was opened against her. Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov were on their way to the announcement of Musaeva’s verdict, but on the way from the airport they were severely beaten by masked armed men.