How and why the Chechen authorities persecute dissenters

On 4 February 2021, two young people—20-year-old Saleh Magamadov and 17-year-old Ismail Isaev—were abducted from the “LGBT network” apartment in Nizhny Novgorod, a large city on the Volga, where they had been hiding from persecution in Chechnya. Mediazona published detailed reports about the pressure faced by Magamadov and Isaev: both they and their relatives were subjected to torture, security forces forced them to reject legal representation, and they were denied medical assistance. One of the brothers is gay, the other is a transgender person undergoing hormone therapy—this was reported by Novaya Gazeta.

In February 2022, a court found them both guilty under the article on participating in an illegal armed formation (part 2 of Article 280 of the Criminal Code): the young men were accused of allegedly helping militant Rustam Borchashvili. Isaev was sentenced to six years in a general regime penal colony, while Magamadov received eight years in a strict regime colony, with the first year to be served in prison. The Memorial Human Rights Centre recognised them as political prisoners.

Since July 2022, Isaev has been held at Correctional Colony No. 11 in Krasnodar Krai, southern Russia, where he will serve his sentence. The whereabouts of Magamadov are unknown; reportedly, he is being held in the Vladimir Central Prison.

The Russian LGBT Network helped Magamadov and Isaev relocate from Chechnya to Nizhny Novgorod after, in April 2020, they and six others were forced to apologise on camera for moderating the Osal Nakh 95 Telegram channel (in Chechen, “Unprincipled People 95”), which had criticised the authorities. Videos of their apologies were then circulated in local Telegram chats. According to the human rights organisation, the young people were forced to apologise through torture and humiliation.

You can support Ismail Isaev and Saleh Magamadov—send them a letter! Letters can be sent using the FSIN Letter service or through the Rosuznik project:

Ismail Sayputyevich Isaev, born 2003, Federal State Institution Correctional Colony No. 11
Address: 353 892, 4 Azovskaya Street, Krasnodar Krai, Akhtarsky settlement
Link to their page on the Rosuznik project

Saleh Saypudinovich Magamadov, born 2001, T-2 Vladimir Central Prison
Address: 600 020, 67 Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street, Vladimir Oblast, city of Vladimir
Link to their page on the Rosuznik project