Tumso Abdurakhmanov

Tumso Umaltovich Abdurakhmanov is a Chechen video blogger and public activist also known by the pseudonym Abu-Saddam Shishani. He was born on December 19, 1985, in Grozny. Before becoming a prominent online commentator, he worked in the telecommunications sector.

His YouTube channels focused on human-rights issues in Chechnya, the history of the Chechen wars, regional politics and criticism of the authorities.

Abdurakhmanov left Chechnya in November 2015 following a conflict with a regional official. Several days later Russian authorities opened a criminal case against him under Part 2 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code, which covers participation in an armed formation abroad in circumstances described by Russian law.

Chechen law-enforcement authorities alleged that he had been connected with armed groups in Syria. Abdurakhmanov has consistently denied ever traveling to Syria or participating in an armed formation. The allegation has not been established in a publicly reported trial.

He initially sought asylum in Georgia. In July 2017, Georgian authorities detained him in connection with the Russian wanted notice, although he was not immediately extradited. Abdurakhmanov argued that the prosecution was politically motivated.

He later continued his blogging from Europe. In February 2020, an attacker armed with a hammer entered his home in Sweden; Abdurakhmanov fought off the attacker, and Swedish courts later convicted people connected with the assault. He was granted asylum in Sweden in 2021.

False reports that he had been killed circulated in late 2022, but German authorities subsequently said he was alive.