25 March 2021, 23:14
Relatives of Isaev and Magamadov voice threats against “Novaya Gazeta”
Relatives of Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev, arrested in Chechnya, threatened human rights defenders and the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” with reprisals for publications about the alleged belonging of the brothers to the LGBT community. Residents of Chechnya recorded the video appeal under pressure from the authorities, a mother of the arrested men stated.
On March 23, in Chechnya, law enforcers detained about 20 relatives of Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev in order to find out the whereabouts of parents of the young men. The detainees were released on the night of March 24.
In a report released by the “Grozny” TV Channel, the relatives of Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev cursed the “Novaya Gazeta”.
Musa Isaev, a relative of the detained brothers, explains that the very information stating that Ismail Isaev and Salekh Magamadov allegedly belong to the LGBT community insults their relatives in Chechnya.
Another relative of the detained brothers accuses human rights defenders and the “Novaya Gazeta” of defamation.
Musa Isaev threatened the newspaper with court proceedings and even reprisals.
A brother of Musa Isaev also claims all publications about the Isaev and Magamadov brothers should be made with the permission of their relatives.
Zara Magamadova, the mother of the detainees, believes that the video appeal was recorded under pressure.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 25, 2021 at 02:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
