Activist from Saint Petersburg calls on to release Musaeva

In Saint Petersburg, passers-by supported the demand to stop the criminal proceedings in Chechnya against Zarema Musaeva and release her, says an activist, who held a picket in defence of the arrested woman.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on January 28, Chechen law enforcers presented to lawyers a letter signed by Zarema Musaeva in which she refused the services of an advocate. Human rights defenders and Abubakar Yangulbaev, a son of Zarema Musaeva, said she was subjected to pressure. The human rights defenders appealed to the court with a request to release Zarema Musaeva from arrest because of her poor health state. On January 31, a criminal case was instituted against Zarema Musaeva on the use of violence against a public officer.

On the evening of January 31, an activist from Saint Petersburg held a solo picket on Nevsky Prospekt in support of Zarema Musaeva. The picket lasted about 40 minutes, and in her hands, the activist held a poster reading: “Arrest and criminal case against an oppositionist’s mother is our reality. Freedom for Zarema Musaeva,” the St. Petersburg publication “ZakS.Ru” reported.

Activist Yevgeniya, who asked not to mention her last name, explained that she had already held several pickets in support of Zarema Musaeva to inform residents and guests of Saint Petersburg “about this outrageous story.”

According to the young woman, the story of the Zarema Musaeva’s kidnapping worries her by the fact that law enforcers “are trying to blackmail opposition activists through their parents, by taking them hostage.” The police did not interfere with the solo picket, and, according to Yevgeniya, passers-by demonstrated interest in her protest action.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 1, 2022 at 01:34 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.