Zoya Svetova: Zara Murtazalieva, native of Chechnya, won't get CER

In the opinion of journalist Zoya Svetova, the author of the book "Innocent Found Guilty" about the fate of Zara Murtazalieva, sentenced in 2005 on charges of terrorism, and scientist Igor Sutyagin, convicted under the article of espionage, Zara Murtazalieva will not get her conditional early relief (CER).

"I couldn't help Zara Murtazalieva and feel complete frustration. I wrote a bunch of articles and reached Kadyrov; and although he believes that she is innocent, he couldn't help her. Or he wouldn't, although he could," Ms Svetova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Zoya Svetova, Murtazalieva "was imprisoned by the FSB to justify their actions." "She was put there on trumped-up charges; and they won't release her until the end of her term," said Zoya.

According to the journalist, she had heard about Murtazalieva's case from rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina, who had learnt about it from the friend of Murtazalieva's mother - one of the two Russian girls, who had to do with the case. "They adopted Islam and met Zara in a mosque in Moscow, when she arrived there in 2003. They started watching her and decided that she could be used as a potential suicide bomber," said Zoya Svetova.

She does not exclude that the girls had been sent to Murtazalieva by the FSB in order "to involve her into talks about suicide bombers, explosions; and it was all recorded in her apartment, which was hired for her by a Chechen militiaman Saeed."

According to the journalist, she visited Murtazalieva in the colony and studied her case; she saw that there were no proofs there. "I was ashamed that I, a Russian journalist, unable to help this Chechen girl, who was just imprisoned for 8.5 years, because the FSB had to tick a point; and the judge was ordered to convict her. I tried in some way to relieve her fate - at least, I began visiting her and write letters," said Zoya Svetova.

According to her story, "it is crucial for Murtazalieva, because she has hardships there - in Mordovia, in women's prisons, many employees had passed through Chechnya; they exhibit negative attitude to Chechens." The journalist also believes that there is an unspoken order not to adjudge CER to Chechens.

"Zara's CER came three years ago, but she wasn't released. Now, she also has the right to apply for CER, but she knows that they won't set her free; therefore, she wouldn't even ask," said Zoya Svetova.

According to the journalist, for making it impossible for Murtazalieva to apply for CER, "they invent her violations, for example, that she had failed to make her bed, to wear a scarf or say hello to someone." "Once, when I came to her, somebody planted a shank-like weapon into her bed; and she was put into dungeon deliberately, in order to disrupt our meeting," Zoya said.

"It's absolutely amazing - and in my recent book I'm writing about it, - she doesn't hold a grudge against those who betrayed her: the girls who evidenced against her the judge who convicted her, and the policemen who beat her. She forgives them all. Her only hope is with the Strasbourg Court. Six months ago, a communication on Zara's case appeared; it means that the Russian government will be asked questions on her case," said Zoya.

"However, Zara's family is in a very difficult situation; it's a very poor family; it's difficult for them to visit her and raise money for parcels. They are helped by the Fund to Help Political Prisoners; Mikhail Kriger gives them money. I appealed to wealthy Chechens as king them to help her; unfortunately, nobody did. Only Russians helped and help her," Zoya Svetova told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

So far, no comments were available from the bosses of the colony, where Murtazalieva is kept, and from the Federal Security Bureau (FSB) on Ms Svetova's statements.