Abubakar Yangulbaev is a human rights activist who invited Kadyrov to exchange himself for his mother

A year ago, she was kidnapped by the Chechen security forces and all this time she was in a pre -trial detention center. We talked with Yangulbaev

In January 2022, the Chechen security officials stole Zarem Musaev from the apartment in Nizhny Novgorod. Two of her sons - Chechen activists Abubakar and Ibrahim Yangulbaevs, have been talking about torture and abductions in Chechnya for years and criticize Ramzan Kadyrov, both were forced to go abroad. Since then, Musaeva has been in a pre -trial detention center in Grozny. On the anniversary of her abduction, the eldest son - Abubakar - recorded an appeal to Kadyrov and offered to exchange himself for his mother. "Cold" talked with Yangulbaev about why he did it.

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In January 2022, the Chechen security officials broke into the apartment to the former judge of the Supreme Court of Chechnya Sayed Yangulbaev in Nizhny Novgorod. The security forces could not detain the former judge because of his inviolability, which is guaranteed by law, but abducted his wife Zarem Musaev. It was taken by force from the apartment, not allowing to put on their own, take outer clothing and medicines, and then put in the car and delivered to Grozny allegedly for interrogation in the fraud case as a witness. A little later, Musaeva was charged with a large -scale fraud and an attack on a police officer.

Children Yangulbaev and Musaeva - Abubakar and Ibrahim Yangulbaev - critics Ramzan Kadyrov. Shortly before the abduction of Musaeva, her eldest son Abubakar Yangulbaev, a former lawyer of the “committee against torture”, said that several dozen relatives of the family had disappeared in Chechnya.

Kadyrov did not hide his attitude to the Yangulbaev family. For example, he said that they were “either in prison or underground”, and the State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov stated that “day and night, not sparing life, property and offspring” would pursue the Yangulbaev family until he cuts their heads.

Why did you decide to contact Kadyrov?

- I already offered such an exchange of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs through lawyers last spring. They ignored me. Now I understand that the war will write off everything, and human rights are violated more and more, and I do not see any [other] way to free my mother. Her abduction took place in front of the whole country - and nothing was done in a year.

Do you think the exchange is possible?

- It is possible and practiced. They specially initiate criminal cases for some people for political reasons, and then they are exchanged for those who are needed. The exchange works with terrorists, and Kadyrov is a terrorist.

Really practiced?

This practice really existed during the Chechen wars. For example, in 2000, the Kommersant newspaper talked about how the Chechen separatists exchanged Radio Liberty journalist Andrei Babitsky for three prisoners of Russian troops.

The criminal case against my mother is falsified: it has all the signs of violations, and therefore it must be terminated. At the time of my appearance in Russia, you can instantly initiate any business: to say that I justified terrorism, posted "fakes" about the Russian army. There are many political articles, I can be planted using any.

You do not admit that you can come to Russia, you will be detained, but at the same time they will not let your mother go?

- Exchange ( for example, prisoners or prisoners of war. - approx. “Cold” ) works as follows: a third party is determined - for example, Ukraine, Turkey, the Czech Republic - and it ensures that this exchange will occur. That is, it cannot turn out that both will become hostages.

Which country can act as an intermediary?

- It already depends on the Kadyrov side. He claims that he has ties with Turkey and other Arab countries. Any of them, I'm sure, will suit.

While no one contacted you from Chechnya?

- No, but, of course, I expect me to contact me.

From the moment my mother was detained, how did you try to achieve her liberation?

- From the very beginning, we attracted public attention as much as possible: the media, human rights activists, politicians. They tried almost all the methods that, in theory, should work in a legal state. For example, the Diplomatic Service of the European Union , the State Department and Amnesty International demanded to let her go, and the Memorial recognized his mother political prisoner.

After the war began, a flurry of criticism towards Kadyrov decreased. As if people throughout the country began to support him because of the war. Therefore, I had the feeling that the war was written off and during it is normal that people were abducted. As if they have already stopped remembering that many people are still in prisons [in falsified matters].

I tried all [other] options, and therefore made this appeal. Either so, or I’ll go to the war, I will capture some Kadyrovts and I will already exchange it, since they don’t want me.

Have you discussed this decision with your family? What do they say?

- Of course, they are against it. For them, this is not a way out. I would not want to discuss this part publicly.

And your brothers? They are not interested in the Chechen authorities?

- They are not in Russia since the beginning of 2021. I took them out a year before the abduction of my mother. Now both criminal cases were brought up on both terrorism and put on the federal wanted list .

Of course, he did not discuss the decision with them. I'm older, so I don’t need to discuss this with them. And the Chechen authorities, I think, will be enough for me.

If the Chechen authorities go to the exchange and you find yourself in conclusion, your life can be in danger. Are you not afraid for yourself?

- The goal is to save the mother.

I understand that in any case, it must be sacrificed. I am not going to sacrifice my mother. Without a doubt, I am ready to sacrifice my own life for her. Now I'm going to extreme measures.

Did you manage to keep in touch with your mother?

- Only through letters, and then half were detained and not transmitted.

What did she write about?

- She wrote that she is all right, that she was glad that at least we are freedom. But such freedom does not suit me at all.

And you didn’t tell her that you want to go to such measures?

- Of course not.

What would she say if she found out about your plan?

- Probably, she would have reacted poorly, like any other person. I understand that there is a story about the choice of two evils. I understand that no one should be responsible for their political position. But to attract the mother of his political opponent ... Since we came to such a result that there are such rules in Russia now, I would like to get freedom for her. End justifies the means.

What, in your opinion, did the Chechen authorities seek by arresting your mother?

- They achieved, of course, the influence on us [with his brother]. It seems that it became obvious that it was useless to behave like that and I need to let my mother go, because I will not stop doing political and human rights activities, but nothing has changed. Work on human rights and opposition activities is now established, so I can sacrifice myself.

What time is she threatened with now?

- Up to 10 years. If she is condemned for this period, she will be released at 62.

Tell us about mom’s health status.

- The condition is bad. The medical unit in the pre-trial detention center does not have high-quality drugs that she needs. She has intervertebral hernia and second type diabetes. According to all the recommendations and law, they should have been given house arrest in the form of a maximum preventive measure. But since she is a hostage, she is kept in a pre -trial detention center and her health only worsens.

People with severe forms of diabetes fall under the premises in a pre -trial detention center in the presence of complications and persistent disorders of the body, leading to a significant limitation of life and requiring prolonged treatment in a specialized medical hospital.

Despite the fact that in letters she writes that everything is fine, I know from lawyers how she feels. Yes, and she herself at the first court session said that she was dying quietly. Now she barely moves, does not go for walks, because for this you need to climb the stairs, and it is hard for her. Even if they put me down, I'm young - everything will be okay, I will survive. But she - no.

Your mother was kidnapped after you said that several dozen of your relatives had disappeared in Chechnya. What is happening to them now?

- There were up to 50 people. These are relatives along the father and line of the mother - Uncle Aunt, their children and grandchildren. A month and a half after I said that they disappeared, [the Chechen authorities] released them to publicly abandon our family. So far, not all of them have been given passports so that they did not have the opportunity to leave not only from the country, but even from the republic. Now we do not communicate, because they can exert pressure on them.

I think that many of them simply reconciled with the fact that they were in custody. And human rights activists can not always help when it comes to Chechnya.

How do you feel now after published an appeal?

- Fine. Understand, this is not some kind of decision on emotions. I was preparing, analyzing the risks. Everything is deliberate and rational.

I am not a small child so that someone stops me or dissuad me. If someone believes that I am wrong and ready to condemn me, I do not want to listen to it. Wrong? How is it right? What other options to save her? Every day, while she is in a pre -trial detention center, her death brings her closer.