BISHKEK -- Russian citizen Mansur Movlayev, an outspoken critic of the authoritarian ruler of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov who was sentenced in Kyrgyzstan earlier in October to six months in prison for illegal border-crossing, says he has been tortured in a detention center in Bishkek.
"Your Honor, I am being tortured in the detention center. They are forcing me to withdraw my appeal," Movlayev said on October 31 at the Bishkek City Court that started a hearing into his appeal against his sentence.
The judge interrupted Movlayev and adjourned the hearing until November 16, saying the appeal had not been officially handed to the court yet.
Movlayev's lawyer, Bakyt Avtandil, told reporters afterwards that he plans to turn to the Prosecutor-General's Office and the National Center to Prevent Torture regarding his client’s complaint.
Movlayev, a native of Chechnya, is wanted in Russia on extremism charges that he rejects as politically motivated.
The Kyrgyz State Committee of National Security (UKMK) said in August that its officers detained Movlayev in a counterterrorist operation, stressing that the 28-year-old Chechen activist is "a follower of radical Islam" with links to terrorist groups in the Middle East.
In 2020, Movlayev was sentenced in Chechnya to three years in prison on illegal drugs charges that he vehemently rejected as politically motivated, calling the case against him a retaliation by Chechen officials for his criticism of Kadyrov and his government.
In 2022, Movlayev was granted an early release, but was detained again.
Noted Chechen opposition bloggers Ibragim and Baisangur Yangulbayev said at the time that Movlayev managed to escape and fled Russia for Kyrgyzstan in 2022, where he planned to get assistance from international rights groups to travel to the European Union for safety reasons.
Kadyrov, who has ruled Chechnya since 2007 with a cult of personality around him, is frequently accused by Russian and international human rights groups of overseeing grave human rights abuses including abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and targeting the LGBT community.
Kremlin critics say Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned a blind eye to the abuses because he relies on the former rebel commander to control separatist sentiment and violence in Chechnya.