Chechen activist in Kazakhstan jail attempts suicide amid extradition fight

Mansur Movlayev, a Chechen activist known for relaying reports of kidnappings and torture in Chechnya, attempted to take his own life while held in a pre-trial detention centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan. His lawyer Vadim Drozdov relayed a note in which Movlayev lamented endless injustice and feared imminent extradition to Russia, where he could face torture or death. The note also pleaded for help for Russian activist Yulia Yemelyanova, another detainee facing extradition.

Kazakhstan, which denied Movlayev asylum, is weighing the extradition request even though the UN Human Rights Committee has ordered a pause until his complaint is reviewed. The Russian Anti-War Committee reported that lawyers say Movlayev received medical assistance and is not in immediate danger. Movlayev fled Russia in 2023 and was arrested in May 2025, after previously sharing information with opposition Telegram channels. Human-rights groups warn that his return to Chechnya could result in severe abuse.