Jailed Chechen Political Prisoner Zarema Musayeva Hospitalized

Zarema Musayeva, a political prisoner in Russia's Chechnya region and the mother of three outspoken opposition activists, has been hospitalized after her health declined seriously, according to her lawyer, Aleksandr Savin.

Musayeva, who suffers from Type 2 diabetes and other complications, was admitted to the Chechen endocrinology dispensary after Savin spent over a month requesting his client receive medical treatment due to her worsening condition.

Musayeva's hospitalization has delayed an appeal hearing for her parole denial, which was scheduled for October 21, but has now been postponed to November 12.

Musayeva is serving a five-year sentence in a colony settlement, a less restrictive form of imprisonment near an industrial facility, where she works alongside other convicts and regular employees.

Musayeva is the mother of Ibragim, Abubakar, and Baisangur Yangulbayev, all of whom fled Russia due to harassment from Chechen authorities over their vocal criticism of Kremlin-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The Yangulbayev family has been targeted for years, with the brothers using social media and online platforms to expose human rights abuses in Chechnya, including allegations of extrajudicial killings, torture, and persecution by Kadyrov's regime.

Abubakar Yangulbayev, a former lawyer with the Committee Against Torture, has openly accused Chechen law enforcement of daily violations of human rights, calling the case against his mother an act of retaliation by Kadyrov for his activism.

Ibragim and Abubakar have detailed the intense pressure they and their family have faced, including threats to their lives, leading them to seek asylum abroad.

Kadyrov and other Chechen officials have publicly vowed to kill all members of the Yangulbayev family, labeling them terrorists.

Musayeva was forcibly taken from her apartment in Nizhny Novgorod, more than 1,800 kilometers from Grozny, by Chechen police in January 2022. She was returned to Chechnya and later sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison on charges of fraud and attacking a police officer -- charges she and her family deny as politically motivated.

In September that year, the Chechen Supreme Court reduced her sentence by six months and transferred her to a colony settlement instead of a correctional colony.

The threats against the Yangulbayev family extend beyond Musayeva and her sons. Their father, retired federal judge Saidi Yangulbayev, and sister fled Russia in January 2022 after receiving death threats from Kadyrov's allies.

The family has faced ongoing harassment, with many of their relatives in Chechnya subjected to intimidation, forced eviction from their homes, and physical threats.

Musayeva's deteriorating health has raised concerns among human rights groups, who argue she requires specialized medical care due to her acute diabetes, cataracts, and severe knee pain.

Her initial hospitalization in March came after a rapid decline in her vision and the appearance of lumps on her body.

Despite her medical issues, a state medical commission in Chechnya downgraded her diagnosis in April, claiming she had diabetes without complications, a move rights groups have condemned as part of the systemic abuse she faces in detention.

Human rights organizations, including Russia's Team Against Torture, have repeatedly called for Musayeva's release and proper medical treatment, citing her detention as part of a broader pattern of repression in Chechnya.

International organizations and Kremlin critics have long accused Kadyrov of ruling Chechnya through fear and brutal suppression, while President Vladimir Putin has turned a blind eye to the abuses, relying on Kadyrov to maintain control over the region.

Despite the ongoing threats and persecution, Musayeva's sons continue their efforts to draw attention to the human rights crisis in Chechnya, though they remain in exile for their safety.