Arrest of Ingush woman accused of links with militants extended

The Malgobek court has extended until December 31 the arrest of Leila Gatagazheva, a native of Ingushetia, accused of collaborating with militants.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 18, 2023, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported that Leila Gatagazheva had been extradited from Iraq. She is accused of working for the "Islamic State"* militants in Syria.

On November 29, Gatagazheva's defence tried to convince the court to change her freedom restraint measure to at least house arrest. Ramina Labazanova, an advocate, recalled that Gatagazheva had already served five years in an Iraqi prison on charges of links with a terrorist organization. The advocate has noted that this is a sufficient basis to stop the criminal case, the "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence has reported.

In his turn, the investigation official has asked to leave Gatagazheva in custody for a month, since investigators haven't yet received an official translation of the Iraqi court's verdict.

Ms Labazanova has also noted that she had achieved a decision to transfer her client in the near future from the Vladikavkaz SIZO (pre-trial prison) to the Pyatigorsk SIZO because of the problems that Gatagazheva had with her cellmates, the website of the above Centre informs.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in June 2021, participants in a seminar held in Moscow noted that although Russian authorities recognized the need to return militants' wives and children, including natives of Northern Caucasus, from Syria and Iraq, the problems of their rehabilitation and social adaptation remain relevant.

*On December 29, 2014, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the organization "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL or IS) as a terrorist international organization and banned its activities in Russia.