Telegram channel moderators inform advocates about beatings and threats in Chechnya

Advocates managed to visit Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev, brought to Chechnya by law enforcers, the "Russian LGBT Network" reports today.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that law enforcers took out from Nizhny Novgorod to Chechnya two natives of the republic, 20-year-old Salekh Magamadov and his brother Ismail Isaev. A lawyer from the "Russian LGBT Network" filed applications for kidnapping, illegal deprivation of liberty, and abuse of power with respect to the young people.

Both Ismail Isaev and Salekh Magamadov are being kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) No. 2 in Grozny. Advocates were allowed to visit them.

Salekh Magamadov stated that the brothers were forced to sign a waiver of advocates, as well as fabricated confessions. "My brother Isaev and I, being threatened with torture, agreed to sign testimonies, which we did not give, and to waive advocate Nemov," Salekh Magamadov said.

According to him, he tried to demand an advocate by agreement and was beaten for that. "<A law enforcer> took me to another office, grabbed my chest, and hit me twice against the wall. I had to answer that I would sign an agreement with the appointed advocate. Then <the law enforcer> explained to me: 'If you try to confront us, then I'm ready to kill you, even in the courtroom. I'm not a man if I don't kill you,'" Salekh Magamadov quoted the law enforcer as saying.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 17, 2021 at 02:20 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.