A resident of Kabardino-Balkaria requires medical attention after 6.5 months in solitary confinement.

Rustam Kurmanov was transferred from a solitary confinement cell to a general cell in a pretrial detention center in Nalchik after his wife appealed to human rights activists. The health of the prisoner, who spent more than six months in solitary confinement, is seriously deteriorating, his wife noted.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Rustam Kurmanov, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, accused of involvement in the "At-Takfir wal-Hijra"*, has been held in solitary confinement in Nalchik's Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 since early July, his wife, Asiyat Gaboyeva, stated in late December. According to his wife, this is a method used to extract a confession from him.

After Asiyat Gaboyeva appealed to human rights organizations, her husband, Rustam Kurmanov, was released from solitary confinement. According to Gaboeva, her husband was transferred to a general cell in the pretrial detention center on December 25, 2025.

“His health problems remain, and the violations committed over almost six months have not been assessed. Rustam’s period of detention in solitary confinement was from July 10 to December 25, 2025. He was held in harsh conditions—cold and damp,” Asiyat Gaboeva told the Caucasian Knot.

The pretrial detention center administration provided neither Kurmanov nor his lawyer with any formal explanations or orders regarding the reasons for such a prolonged detention. “We raised this issue at the trial regarding the extension of his pretrial detention, but the court did not respond,” Gaboeva noted.

Rustam Kurmanov’s physical and mental health has been seriously undermined by the conditions of the solitary confinement cell. "He suffers from constant colds, sciatica, dental and gum problems, and leg cramps. He sought medical attention, but his condition hasn't improved after treatment," Asiyat explained.

She also reported that she was unable to secure a meeting with her husband. "We only learn about his condition through a lawyer by agreement or from court hearings. The last time I saw him in person was December 4, 2025, in court, during the extension of his pretrial detention," Gaboyeva added.

Placement in a pretrial detention facility without formal explanation is grounds for filing a lawsuit, noted a human rights activist familiar with the situation in the North Caucasus. "If the lawyer and the defendant don't know why they're being punished and kept in solitary confinement, that's obviously a violation of the defendant's rights. They should go to court and appeal," said a human rights activist who wished to remain anonymous.

Lawyer Timofey Shirokov, not involved in the Kurmanov case, also sees the lack of formal justification for placing him in solitary confinement as grounds for filing a lawsuit. "Of course, one must look at the personal file, but often FSIN officers, who aren't particularly legally savvy, can slap something on there that could lead to the decision being overturned on purely formal grounds," he said.

At the same time, the lawyer noted that officers can find formal reasons for placing someone in solitary confinement. "Of course, they won't write, 'We're putting him in solitary confinement because we're pressuring him, because we want a confession.' They're putting him in solitary confinement for formal reasons: for example, he used foul language, or he didn't identify himself during an inspection, or something was found during a search. Although, in general, solitary confinement is rarely used in pretrial detention centers," Shirokov explained.

Complaints to higher authorities within the Federal Penitentiary Service and the prosecutor's office, as well as appeals to the court, can alleviate a prisoner's fate, he is confident. "Also, an appeal to the Public Monitoring Commission to inspect the conditions of detention is possible. Furthermore, the Human Rights Commissioner could also be involved, as the prosecutor's office and other agencies should prioritize requests from the ombudsman. And the FSIN institution could be reprimanded," Shirokov concluded.