The sister of a political prisoner has announced the closure of her business in Dagestan, a republic in Russia’s North Caucasus, due to pressure from law enforcement.

Zumrud Rizvanova, the founder of the Dagestani brand Halal Cosmetics and sister of Abubakar Rizvanov, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison, has announced the closure of her business in the region due to pressure from law enforcement. The news was highlighted by Caucasian Knot.

“For the safety of the brand and the team, we are leaving the republic. We are taking Halal Cosmetics from Dagestan to the global market. Thank you to those who sped up this process and pushed me out of a region where there is no future for big ideas and brands,” wrote Rizvanova on her Telegram channel.

In her next post, she explained that she would close the offline showroom “where at any moment they might turn up and put pressure on my girls.” The products will no longer be sold in Dagestan, but will be available for purchase online.

At the start of July, Rizvanova reported a law enforcement raid at the company’s office in Makhachkala (the capital of Dagestan, in Russia’s North Caucasus). Officers inspected products and labelling. In addition, officers, including those from Centre “E,” held six hours of talks with Rizvanova’s daughter. Afterwards, her health declined. Rizvanova herself linked these actions to the criminal prosecution of her brother.

Rizvanova’s brother, Abubakar Rizvanov, founder of the charity “Ansar,” was sentenced in September 2023 to 18 years in prison. He, along with Abdulmumin Gadzhiev, a journalist at the independent Dagestani newspaper Chernovik, and programmer Kemal Tambiev, was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organisation (part 2, article 205.5 of the Criminal Code), organising its financing (part 4, article 205.1), and involvement in an extremist organisation (part 2, article 282.2).

All the defendants denied any guilt. Later, the appeals court reduced their sentences by two months.

The case was based on an interview Gadzhiev conducted with preacher Abu Umar Sasitlinsky about his charity “Ansar,” which helps children. Investigators claimed the foundation financed the terrorist group “Islamic State” and that Gadzhiev’s article encouraged readers to donate money. Sasitlinsky denies any links to terrorists.

Rizvanov was also accused of participating, together with Gadzhiev and Tambiev between 2009 and 2013, in organisations designated as terrorist by the authorities: the “Congress of the Peoples of Ichkeria and Dagestan” and the “Supreme Military Majlisul Shura of the United Forces of Caucasus Mujahideen.”

After his arrest, Tambiev spoke about being tortured into testifying against Gadzhiev, with whom he was not acquainted prior to the case.

The “Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial” project has recognised Abubakar Rizvanov as a political prisoner. He is currently serving his sentence in a prison in Minusinsk (a city in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Siberia).