19:49, 30 June 2023

Human rights defenders announce release of Magomed Abubakarov in Chechnya

Magomed Abubakarov. Photo courtesy of his relative

Magomed Abubakarov, a citizen of the United Kingdom, who had been kept by Chechen law enforcers for several weeks, has been released.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on June 1, Magomed Abubakarov was detained by law enforcers at his mother’s house in Urus-Martan. Before leaving Russia, the man was tortured and convicted for aiding and abetting militants, his friend says.

Magomed Abubakarov had to leave Russia, human rights defender Oyub Titiev said. “In 2009, Magomed Abubakarov was kidnapped and tortured, and he was suspected of aiding and abetting Chechen militants ... In 2013, Magomed Abubakarov left for the UK, where he was granted political asylum, and later citizenship. In 2021, the man came to Chechnya, and during his visit, no one, except his relatives and friends, was interested in his personality. Therefore, Magomed Abubakarov decided to visit his relatives again,” Oyub Titiev noted.

Magomed Abubakarov was released on June 27, almost four weeks after his detention, the Human Rights Protection Centre “Memorial” reported.

On June 23, Umar Masaev, a resident of Urus-Martan, was also released. According to the human rights defenders, on May 31, Chechen policemen detained Ibragim Masaev, a brother of local businessman Umar Masaev, and promised his relatives that they would release him if his brother businessman came to the police. Umar complied with the demand. Since then, Magomed Abubakarov and Umar Masaev have been held by law enforcers. Umar Masaev was also detained in 2009. He was sentenced to a year of imprisonment for aiding and abetting an illegal armed formation (IAF).

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 29, 2023 at 07:13 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot