Russian Prosecutors in Chechnya say the slaying of Zarema Sadulayeva, a prominent human rights activist in this August was not connected to her work, RFE/RL’s Russian service reports.

Zarema Sadulayeva, led to a non-governmental youth organization “Let’s Save the Generation”, and Alik (Umar) Dzhabrailov, her husband were kidnapped in the afternoon of August 10 from the office of their organization in the Leninsky district of Grozny. According to their colleagues, they were taken by unknown people, probably they were employees of the security forces. The following morning, the bullet-ridden bodies of Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Dzhabrailov were found in the trunk of their car.

On 1st of December, Viktor Ledenev, chief of the Russian Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor-General’s Office in Chechnya, said the target of the attack was Alik Dzhabrailov. He said the investigators had evidence showing that Sadulayeva had not wanted to leave her husband alone and chose to stay with him. Ledenev also added that Alik Dzhabrailov had fought against occupier Russian forces some years ago.

Aleksander Cherkasov, a board member of Human Rights Center “Memorial” told RFE/RL’s Russian service that Ledenev’s statement doesn’t contain anything new on the murder. Cherkasov gave point to everybody knew that Zarema Sadulayeva was kidnapped together with her husband. On the other hand Cherkasov added that the couple were tortured severely.

“Does it mean that Russia’s officials consider it normal that ‘death squads’ are operating in Chechnya?” he asked.

“Abduction, torture and murder system is working in Chechnya nearly for ten years. According to our datas, more than five thousand civilians became victims of this system. And anybody didn’t punishment. Just think it!” said Alexander Cherkasov.

He said the statement of Ledenev confirms the existence of “an organized system of impunity in Chechnya”.