“SK SOS” Crisis Group* names motives for campaigning to submit appeals in Chechen Suleimanova’s case
The organizers of sending online appeals to the head of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) with a call to take control of the inquiry into the disappearance of Seda Suleimanova, a Chechen native, have hope for some progress in the case, since they have positive experience of such campaigns.
In August 2023, Seda Suleimanova was detained in Saint Petersburg and taken to her relatives in Chechnya. After that, no messages were received from her. Her friends and human rights defenders fear that she has fallen victim to the so-called "honour killing".
Alexandra Miroshnikova, the press secretary of the "SK SOS" Crisis Group*, has noted that the Group treats this campaign as very important. "If the ICRF takes control of the case, perhaps it will move forward. It’s absolutely obvious that it’s not being investigated in Chechnya," she has stated.
According to her story, the ICRF’s intervention had earlier led to positive changes.
"There was the case of Aishat Magomedova, a girl who was beaten up by her relatives and forcibly taken back to Dagestan ... Only after the fuss had started did the ICRF intervene in the case ... The investigators’ behaviour immediately changed; and relatives released the girl," she has added.
Ms Miroshnikova has recalled that the "SK SOS" Crisis Group* had experience of two campaigns in Suleimanova’s case. "There were 700 requests; and the Russian General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) began an investigation. But they came to the conclusion that there were no violations; and Seda went home voluntarily," she has explained.
"It is important to show, including to investigators, that people will seek a fair inquiry," the press secretary of the "SK SOS" Crisis Group* has concluded.
On April 14, Suleimanova's support group also began collecting signatures to the appeal demanding an inquiry into Seda’s case. Almost 1300 electronic signatures were collected on the first day. The appeal is planned to be submitted to the Russian Presidential Administration.
Oleg Orlov*, a co-chairman of the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD)** was sceptical about the efficiency of such a campaign. "There are no such means in modern Russia or in the world – even an appeal to the UN won’t help. The only thing is that such campaign will draw public attention to the problem," he believes.
*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.
**As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered "Memorial" Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the roster of foreign agents was the spread of "inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces."
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 19, 2025 at 01:52 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Source: СK correspondent