14:49, 18 September 2025

Movlaev's Kazakh lawyer reported threats

Lawyer Murad Adam, representing Chechen native Mansur Movlaev, reported receiving threats from a Russian phone number after he informed the court of the involvement of a Russian activist detained in Kazakhstan.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the extradition process for Chechen native Mansur Movlaev to Russia has been suspended pending Kazakhstan's review of his asylum request. The ECHR does not have jurisdiction over Kazakhstan, and the country's authorities will decide for themselves whether to comply with the UN Human Rights Committee's decisions regarding the extradition of Chechen native Mansur Movlaev to Russia. The deadline for reviewing Chechen native Mansur Movlaev's asylum request in Kazakhstan expires on August 19, but a hearing on the matter has not yet been scheduled, the lawyer stated. The delay in the trial raises concerns for Movlaev's fate, commentators noted. The defense asked the Kazakh authorities to cease any actions aimed at Movlaev's extradition and to extend his asylum seeker certificate.

In May, Mansur Movlaev was detained in Kazakhstan on a search warrant from the Shali District Department of Internal Affairs in Chechnya. The court placed him under extradition arrest for 40 days pending Russia's official extradition request. On May 21, Movlaev was granted asylum seeker status. In an appeal to Chechens and residents of Kazakhstan, he asked for help to prevent his extradition to Russia. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office assured its Kazakh counterparts of the absence of political motives in the prosecution of Mansur Movlayev, nor of torture or cruel treatment in the event of his extradition.

Murat Adam, a lawyer with the Almaty City Bar Association and a member of the Kazakhstan NGO Coalition against Torture, reported receiving a threatening message on his phone. He posted a screenshot of the message on his Facebook page*. "They're already on their way to pick you up, they'll soon pack you up and bring you back to us. You've already said a lot of interesting things," the message reads.

Earlier, Adam posted a link to an interview in Deutsche Welle**, in which he discussed, among other things, the case of Russian activist Yulia Yemelyanova. She was detained on August 31 while transiting through Almaty airport. The reason for the arrest was Emelyanova's inclusion on an international wanted list initiated by Russia. In Russia, the woman is accused of stealing a phone worth 12,000 rubles. Emelyanova herself and human rights activists call the case fabricated. They believe she is being persecuted for her activism—before leaving Russia in 2022, Yemelyanova was an activist for Alexei Navalny's campaign headquarters.***

The threat message, posted on the lawyer's page, which has 6,500 followers, received 59 comments. The comments, among other things, advised the lawyer to contact law enforcement, which he said he would definitely do.

"Don't neglect it. Murat, contact the authorities. The best defense is attack... Take care," wrote Znibek Amenova, among others.

"If they threaten so openly, then it could be real," says Gulnara Zhuaspaeva.

Adam agreed to contact law enforcement. "Yes, of course," he wrote in response to a comment from user Ayan Sharipbayev: "Contact the authorities!"

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*** Navalny's campaign offices, which previously operated in Russian regions, have been designated as extremist organizations and banned. The Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) has been added to the register of foreign agents, designated as extremist, and banned in Russia.

Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/415518