Salekh Magamadov
Salekh Magamadov, born 2001, Chechnya. Charges: Article 208 part 2 applied with Article 33 part 5, Russian Criminal Code (Aiding participation in illegal armed formation); “The case of Ismail Isaev and Salekh Magamadov”. Sentence (February 21, 2022): 8 years' imprisonment in a strict regime colony. Status: imprisoned; deprived of liberty since February 9, 2021; place of detention: Penal colony No. 4, Penza Oblast. Recognition: Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, September 13, 2021.
In brief
Chechnya · Grozny · Students
Sentence
8 years
imprisonment in a strict regime colony
Upheld May 10, 2022
Charges
- Article 208 part 2 applied with Article 33 part 5, Russian Criminal Code — Aiding participation in illegal armed formation
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, in June 2020, he made contact with militant Rustam Borchashvili and subsequently delivered food to him on two occasions.
Latest event
May 10, 2022 — appeal
The court upheld the verdict.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, September 13, 2021
Timeline
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 8 years
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Added to the Rosfinmonitoring list of “terrorists and extremists”
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Persecution begins
The case of Ismail Isaev and Salekh Magamadov
Criminal case
The case of Ismail Isaev and Salekh Magamadov
Other defendants in the case
- Ismail Isaev — Imprisoned, 6 years
Write a letter
Facility: Penal colony No. 4, Penza Oblast
Address (in Russian, as written on the envelope)
440042, г. Пенза, ул. Молодогвардейская, д. 9., ФКУ «ИК № 4 УФСИН России по Пензенской области», Магамадов Салех Сайпудинович, 2001 г.р.
Details and sources
Full summary
A resident of Chechnya and participant of the oppositionary Telegram chat 'Osal Nakh 95', he was detained in Grozny on 5 April 2020. There, he, his brother Ismail Isaev, and other members of the chat were forced to record video apologies for criticizing the authorities. Later, the brothers reported that they were systematically beaten. They were held in custody until May 29, 2020, when they were released without any official paperwork. With the support of the Sphere Foundation for Social and Legal Assistance, which defends the rights of LGBT+ people, both fled to Nizhnii Novgorod.
On 4 February 2021, they were both detained again and taken back to Chechnya. The brothers later reported being subjected to violence during their arrest. Security forces denied their lawyer access and told him that Isaev and Magamadov had confessed to delivering food to a militant in hiding, Rustam Borchashvili (reportedly killed in October 2020). On 9 February, both were placed in custody on charges of aiding participation in an illegal armed group.
On 12 March, they retracted their earlier statements, saying they had signed them without reading, under a threat of torture. Authorities pressured their relatives, and Grozny television aired a video in which family members demanded that Isaev and Magamadov no longer be associated with the LGBT+ community and issued threats toward LGBT+ organizations and journalists. In April, it was reported that the brothers were granted state protection due to the risk of an “honor killing” by their relatives.
On February 22, 2022, Magamadov was sentenced to eight years in a high-security penal colony.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
Other people prosecuted under Article 208 part 2 applied with Article 33 part 5, Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.