Unknown assailants attacked Madina Magomadova, head of the non-governmental Chechen organization “Mothers of Chechnya”, in the capital city of Moscow, Russia.

“On June 8, at about 5:00pm, I met with a journalist to discuss the preparation of an international photo exhibition dedicated to disappeared civilians in Chechnya, since the beginning of Russian-Chechen war. On December 14, it will be 20 years since the Chechen mothers were deprived of the opportunity to learn the fate of their children. By this terrible anniversary, we planned to hold an exhibition in Europe and Russia. At the end of our conversation, we noticed the strange behavior of two young men at the next table. As soon as we started to talk, they fell silent. It was clear that they were recording our conversation. We decided to end our conversation and left the restaurant. At the cross road, my friend went towards the Lubyanka metro, and I went towards Maroseyka Street. I was overtaken by one of the young men who asked me to get into a Lada car that pulled up next to me. When I asked who they were, he said you will learn in due time. I refused, and he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to the car. Seeing my resistance, the driver got out and began to help him. I started to break free, screaming for help and fighting them off. The passersby on the road asked what was wrong and one of my attackers said: ‘it’s not your business, she’s my sister’. I screamed ‘it’s not true, they are trying to kidnap me and I do not know them’. After my cries, people in the crowd began to demand an end to the outrage, or they would call the police. One of the kidnappers threw me onto the pavement and they immediately got into the car and left. I lost consciousness for a moment after hitting my head on the pavement, when I came to my senses, there were two women next to me. They helped me up, and asked if they should call an ambulance, but I refused. For a while, they helped me walk and then I left by myself. I was not very far from the place where I was originally stopped. As soon as I reached my home, I called the friend with whom I had met, to know how he was, and he was all right. I was afraid to tell him what happened to me, so as not to endanger him, it was clear that our telephone conversation was recorded. I was afraid to go to the police, because I did not know their plans are and who they were. On June 10, I met with the same journalist, and told him about the incident. He photographed the bruises on my face, and advised me to go to the trauma center. He said that I needed a snapshot of my knee and to be examined for a concussion. I had a lot of anxiety and it was even difficult to decide to go for an examination, even though I was terribly tormented by headaches and severe pain in my knee and it was difficult to walk. On June 12, I felt better and I went to the trauma center for an examination. I think that even now there is still a danger to my life and liberty,” said Madina Magomadova.

*Text was written by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco