Musaeva's advocate and son explain appearance of two requests for CER

Zarema Musaeva has filed a written refusal from other advocates, Alexander Savin, her advocate from the "Team against Torture" (TaT)*. According to Abubakar Yangulbaev, a Musaeva's son, petitions for the conditional early relief (CER) filed by the advocate he hired has the same force as the Savin's one.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 12, the Supreme Court (SC) of Chechnya reduced Zarema Musaeva's prison term to five years and replaced the custody in a general regime colony for a settlement colony. As a result, she has the right to recalculate the term served at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) and apply for the CER. On October 4, Musaeva's son reported that the advocate hired by the family had submitted a motion for CER to the court. On October 19, the TaT* reported that Alexander Savin had also sent a petition for Musaeva's CER to the court.

Zarema Musaeva has stated that she does not intend to change her advocate, said Alexander Savin, a TaT's advocate. "Musaeva has expressed her will, indicating that she exclusively determines who her defender is, as well as the tactics of running her criminal case. Her family or anyone else will not make a defence decision for her," the advocate has noted.

A new advocate cannot represent Musaeva's interests because he did not visit her and their positions were not agreed upon, Nr Savin has pointed out.

According to Abubakar Yangulbaev, a lawyer and Musaeva's son, "both motions for the CER are valid." According to his story, he came to the conclusion that it was necessary to replace his mother's advocate due to "the long procrastination of the 'Committee against Torture' (CaT)* in defending her." "They don't give us (the family) all the information; they fail to give us documents, and mislead us," he has complained.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 3, Yangulbaev reported that the TaT* (which he treated as the CaT*) was no longer involved in his mother's case.

*The "Team against Torture" (TaT, formerly the "Committee against Torture" – CaT) was created by the lawyers who had earlier worked for the CaT, which was included into the register of the NCOs performing the functions of foreign agents.