The Akhmatovsky District Court of Grozny has imposed a fine of 150,000 rubles on Lena Patyayeva, who has been campaigning for an investigation into the abduction and disappearance of her friend, Seda Suleymanova—a native of Chechnya. This was announced by the court’s press service.
The administrative case stems from a one-person picket that Patyayeva held in late August at the Journalists’ Square in Grozny. She carried a sign that read, "I demand an investigation into the murder of Seda Suleymanova," along with the phrase "Where is Seda?" in the Chechen language.
Patyayeva was found guilty of a repeated violation of the established procedures for holding a public event (Part 8 of Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). However, as the defendant’s lawyer pointed out, Russian law does not require prior authorization for one-person pickets, provided that the conditions stipulated by law are met. Under the charge brought against her, Patyayeva faced up to 30 days in detention or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles.
The protest coincided with the third anniversary of Seda Suleymanova’s disappearance. She went missing in August 2023 after security forces forcibly took her from St. Petersburg to Chechnya and handed her over to her relatives. She had previously fled the republic, fearing—according to the human rights organization "SK SOS"—that she would be forced into marriage. Since then, Seda’s friends and human rights advocates have been pushing for an investigation into the circumstances of her disappearance.
Shortly before the picket, Patyayeva wrote on her social media channel that she feared her friend might be killed by members of her own family. According to her, Suleymanova herself had said that she could face such a danger if she were found. Patyayeva also stated that a criminal case into the murder has been opened, but that it is not actually being investigated.
Lena Patyayeva has held one-person pickets in various cities, making the same demand of the authorities. She has been detained repeatedly, and the penalties imposed on her have become increasingly severe.
