Social media users debated the fate of Mansur Movlaev.

For Mansur Movlaev, a native of Chechnya, it is safer to stay in Kazakhstan for another six months than to be extradited to Russia, where he may face retribution, noted some social media users while commenting on the extension of Movlaev's detention. Other commentators pointed out that if the arrest had not been extended, he could have left for Europe.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Mansur Movlaev's defense called the extension of his extradition arrest unlawful. The law provides for no more than 12 months of extradition arrest, and there are no grounds for extending it, the defense stated in an appeal to the Attorney General of Kazakhstan, asking him to check the legality of the decision to extend the detention.

Commentators discussed the consequences of extending Movlaev's arrest

On July 14, lawyer Murad Adam posted about the extension of Mansur Movlaev's extradition arrest on his Facebook page*. Users debated whether extending the extradition arrest could reduce the risk of Movlaev being extradited to Russia.

"It's better for them to keep him here than to send him there. A lot can change in big politics in six months," believes Ermek Alban.

"At least during this period, something can still be done to prevent him from being sent to Russia. At least he will be here, at least he won't be killed, no matter how terrible and absurd that sounds," wrote Saida Kastaneda.

Lawyer Murad Adam pointed out that release could give Movlaev the opportunity to leave Kazakhstan. "If he were released, he would have the chance to leave our country. But they are deliberately not giving him that opportunity," noted Murad Adam.

Commentators wondered whether the authorities of Kazakhstan could ignore the urgent measures of the UN and deport Movlaev to Chechnya.

"What prevents our authorities from ignoring the urgent measures of the UN and deporting him to Chechnya today or tomorrow? In January 2027 it can be done, but not now?" asked Kairbayeva Kairbayeva.

"Politics is the obstacle," replied Murad Adam in another comment.

"This arrest does not guarantee Movlaev's stay in Kazakhstan, as the purpose of the arrest is extradition. He can be extradited during the period of detention," stated Nina Belyaeva.

Users expressed concern for Movlaev's fate. "In short, everything is lost," wrote Kairbayeva Kairbayeva in another comment.

"He is under extradition arrest, not an arrest related to a case in Kazakhstan; he has no term in Kazakhstan," noted Nina Belyaeva.

Some participants suggested that Movlaev might be used as a bargaining chip. "Are they keeping him as a bargaining resource? Maybe," suggested Irina Shin.

"Bargaining for whom?" asked Kairbayeva Kairbayeva in yet another comment.

The authorities of Chechnya have long pursued their critics

Critics of the Chechen authorities have been persecuted for a long time. For example, in September 2020, a video gained wide resonance in which a naked native of Chechnya, Salman Tepsurkaev, sits on a bottle. He explained that he was doing this as punishment for cooperating with a Telegram channel that criticizes the Chechen authorities. Tepsurkaev noted that he insulted Chechen security forces in his posts.

"I said that other people's mothers <...>, other people's daughters <...>, other people's wives <...>. I said very inappropriate things there. I cursed all Chechen police officers and government officials," - translated the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" the words of Tepsurkaev.

Critics of the Chechen authorities are also persecuted in other countries. For instance, in early 2020, the body of a Chechen native, Imran Aliev, was found in a hotel in Lille, France. Later, Chechen blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov** stated that Aliev was killed by a resident of the Gudermes district of Chechnya, who works for a high-ranking Chechen official.

In July 2020, bloggers from the Chechen diaspora reported on regular threats they received for criticizing the regime of Ramzan Kadyrov. They reported this after the Chechen native Mamikhan Umarov, known as "Anzor from Vienna," was killed in Austria.

Despite the fact that some natives of Chechnya face persecution at home, the authorities of other countries periodically deport critics of the Chechen authorities to Russia. For example, on April 8, 2021, 37-year-old Magomed Gadaev was detained and placed in a deportation prison in France for failing to report to the police. Gadaev injured himself in the stomach to avoid deportation but was expelled from the country. After being taken to the police station in Novy Urengoy, he stated that he needed state protection as his life was in danger. However, on April 11, 2021, police handed Gadaev over to Chechen security forces, who took him to Chechnya in connection with a criminal case for possession of weapons. On June 9, 2021, a court in Achkhoy-Martan sentenced Gadaev to 1.5 years in a settlement colony.

29-year-old Ilyas Saduyev was deported from France to Russia in March 2021, despite reports from human rights defenders about the danger he faced at home. The authorities of both countries did not notify relatives about the deportation and whereabouts of Saduyev, but relatives managed to find out that he had been handed over to Chechen security forces. According to Saduyev's relatives, he had already been tortured in Chechnya before leaving for France when he was forced to give confessions in a criminal case.

Materials on human rights violations in Chechnya, Kadyrov's attacks on the opposition, and his struggle against dissent in the republic are published by "Caucasian Knot" on a special thematic page "Dissent in Chechnya".

* Meta's activities (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.

** included in the register of foreign agents by the Ministry of Justice of Russia.