Front Line is concerned following reports that a lawsuit has been brought against journalist and human rights defender Ms Yelena Maglevannaya by the administration of Volgograd prison colony LIU-15. Yelena Maglevannaya works for the newspaper Svobodnoye slovo (Free world) and collaborates with numerous human rights organisations in Russia.

On 18 February 2009, the administration of Volgograd prison colony LIU-15 brought a lawsuit against Yelena Malevannaya regarding “honour and business reputation protection” under Article 152 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. The claim was related to articles published by Yelena Maglevannaya on the websites of Chechenpress, the Russian Civil Congress, and the Islamic Committee. In these articles, Yelena Maglevannaya raised the case of ill-treatment by the prison administration of the Volgograd prison colony LIU-15 against Mr Zubajr Zubajraev, a detainee of Chechen origin. The articles were based on the testimonies of Zubajr Zubajraev's sisters, Ms Malika Zubajraeva and Ms Petimat Zubajraeva, and human rights defender Mr Imran Ejiev, who visited Zubajr Zubajraev in prison and took photos of his injuries. The prison administration accused Yelena Maglevannaya of libel, claiming that Zubajr Zubajraev had injured himself in detention.

On 19 February 2009, Front Line issued an urgent appeal regarding threats received by the family of Zubajr Zubajraev, especially his sister, human rights defender Malika Zubajraeva. Since then, Zubajr Zubajraev's whole family has left Chechnya out of fear for their lives because of the seriousness of the threats they have received.

On 26 March 2009, the first hearing on Yelena Maglevannaya's case took place in Kirovsky District Court, Volgograd. Zubajr Zubajraev's lawyer, Mr Mussa Khadisov, who saw his client the day before the hearing, confirmed numerous signs of torture on the body of his client, in particular on his feet. Two Chechen human rights defenders from the Human Rights Centre at the office of the Chechen ombudsman, Ms Rosa Shamieva and Ms Madina Astamirova, stated that the acting Chairperson of the LIU-15 colony served during the second war in Chechnya in Chernokozovo Detention Centre, a facility which is infamous for torturing Chechen detainees. Zubajr Zubajraev's written testimony was also presented to the Court.

The next hearing is scheduled for 7 April 2009.

Front Line believes that the lawsuit brought against Yelena Maglevannaya is unfounded and is directly related to her legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights.