Additional Name(s): Исаев Исмаил Сайпутыевич

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/4/2021

Date of Sentencing: February/22/2022

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions LGBTI+ Rights Online Activity Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems

Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment

Ismail Isaev

Extra Bio Info:

Ismail Isaev is imprisoned in relation to state-imposition of a particular religious interpretation. 

On February 4, 2021, Isaev and Isaev's sibling, Salekh Magamadov, - two LGBTI+ youths - were kidnapped and forcibly returned to Chechnya. They had fled to Nizhny Novgorod in June 2020 after being allegedly tortured by Chechen police because of their perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. In March 2020, police detained the two and reportedly tortured them over a youth Telegram account they ran in which they criticized Chechen authorities and Islam.

During his detention, Isaev was reportedly denied legal representation of his choosing and forced to sign a false confession.

On February 9, 2021, Isaev was charged with “aiding and abetting an illegal armed group" (Art. 33-5/Art. 208-2 RCC).

Isaev was later placed in pre-trial facility SIZO-2 in Grozny.

On March 23, 2021, Chechen authorities arbitrarily detained 20 of Isaev's relatives in search of Isaev's parents who fled Chechnya to escape official harassment and pressure to kill their children.

On February 22, 2022, the Achkhoi-Martanovsky District Court of Chechnya sentenced Isaev to six years in prison for “aiding and abetting an illegal armed group" (Art. 33-5/Art. 208-2 RCC).

On October 25, 2022, the Fifth Cassation Court in Pyatigorsk upheld Isaev's sentence. 

Related Cases: Salekh Magamadov

Sources: