In Kazakhstan, a Chechen activist attempted suicide twice. This was caused by the threat of his extradition to Russia

In Kazakhstan, a Chechen activist has attempted suicide twice. This was caused by the threat of his extradition to Russia

Chechen activist Mansur Movlayev has attempted suicide for the second time in a week, the Russian Anti-War Committee reports.

For the first time, Movlayev attempted to kill himself on September 15 in an Almaty pre-trial detention center — where the activist has been waiting for extradition to Russia for the last year and a half. Movlayev was provided with assistance and hospitalized. However, the activist attempted suicide again while there.

After his first attempt, Movlayev left a letter in which he wrote that he was tired of injustice and that torture and death awaited him in Russia.

Mansur Movlayev is known for his sharp criticism of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and his opposition to human rights violations and political repression in the republic. In 2020, the activist was sentenced to three years in prison under Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for liability for drug trafficking. According to Chechen opposition figures, the case was fabricated. In 2022, Movlayev was released on parole, but was soon kidnapped and taken to one of the Chechen police departments. Nevertheless, he managed to escape without documents and reach Kyrgyzstan. Russia placed him on a federal wanted list.

In Kyrgyzstan, the activist was detained on suspicion of illegally crossing the border and served time in a colony. Fearing that he might be forcibly deported to his homeland, Movlayev left that republic as well.

In May 2025, the activist was detained in Almaty. The Kazakh authorities refused to grant him asylum, as a result of which Movlayev has been held in an extradition detention center since May 2025.