On November 21 an appeal against the decision of Lefortovo Court of Moscow to extend a detention period of Leniye Umerova, a Crimean Tatar, for three months was being considered.
As informed by the CHRG, Moscow City Court supported the position of investigation, and upheld the decision of Lefortovo Court, so Leniye Umerova would be kept detained until 5 January 2024.
As the relatives informed, Umerova was moved to a new cell, and this is the first time when she stays there with a cellmate, not alone.
As the CHRG informed:
- Russia has been holding Leniye Umerova, a Ukrainian citizen, and a Crimean Tatar woman, hostage. On December 4, 2022, the 25-year’s old woman was travelling from Kyiv to the occupied Crimea because the health state of her father suffering from cancer had worsened.
- The Russian border guards detained her after crossing the national frontier between Georgia and the Russian Federation, allegedly for violating the regime zone rules. Until March 16, 2023, she was held in the Center for Temporary Detention of Foreign Citizens near Vladikavkaz. The Prigorodnyi District Court found Umerova guilty of “violating the state border regime” (Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, Article 18.1) and fined her RUR2,000.
- On the night of March 16, Umerova was released from the Center for Foreign Citizens Detention. But, as the girl told later, a car with 4 men inside was waiting for her at the gate. They rushed her, put a bag on her head, brought her to a Vladikavkaz district unknown for her, and left her there. Almost the next while she was detained by the police patrol. When she asked for detention reasons, she was drawn on a report for “disobedience to the policemen’s requirements.” The Leninskiy District Court imposed an administrative punishment on her – 15 days of arrest.
- While Umerova was kept in the detention center, a similar report was re-drawn on her: the girl was reported to have refused handing her mobile to the policemen. On March 27, the same court again imposed a 15 days’ arrest on her. Leniye Umerova was moved to the detention center in the city of Beslan.
- On April 9, a new report for disobedience to the police was drawn up on the girl. On April 11, the Sovietskiy Court of Vladikavkaz again imposed a 15 days’ arrest.
- On April 26, the Sovietskiy Court of Vladikavkaz recognized again Leniye Umerova, a Crimean Tatar, guilty of disobedience to the policemen and imposed the next 15 days of arrest.
- On May 4, she was transported her to Moscow to the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center, and accused of espionage.
- On May 5, Lefortovo Court of Moscow arrested her for 2 months on suspicion of “espionage” (RF CC Article 276).
- On June 30, Lefortovo Court of Moscow extended the detention period of Umerova for 4 months – till October 4, 2023. Earlier the court arrested her for 2 months on suspicion of “espionage” (RF CC Article 276).
- On September 30, Lefortovo Court of Moscow in camera extended her detention period for next 3 months – until 4 January 2024. This was the third extension of her pre-trial restraint.
- The case of Leniye Umerova is classified so the relatives are nothing informed.
