Persons accused of preparing terror act in "Kirghizia" sentenced to 11-13 years

Fifteen persons, including natives of the North-Caucasian and Southern Federal Districts (NCFD and SFD), were found guilty of preparing a terror act in the Moscow cinema "Kirghizia" and sentenced to prison terms from 11 to 13 years.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 26 and 27, 2013, 15 persons were detained in Moscow, including natives of Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia and Kalmykia. All of them stated their innocence in the last plea.

The defendants have been in custody for 2.5 years already. They are accused of a terror act attempt in "Kirghizia", and of storing, acquiring and illegal manufacture of weapons.

All the convicts shall serve their terms in high-security colonies, except for Matlyuba Nasimova, a citizen of Uzbekistan, whom the court defined the imprisonment in the general-security correctional camp.

The longest term – 13 years – was awarded to Tazhib Makhmudov, a native of Dagestan, who was considered by investigators the organizer and leader of a unit of the "Al Takfir Val-Hijra" (banned in Russia). Imran Tekilov, a native of Chechnya, received 12 years in colony. The rest of the defendants were sentenced to 11 years in prison each.

Earlier, the defence stated that the weapons had been planted on the defendants, the witnesses' testimonies had been fabricated, and the accusations of extremism were unjustified.

In the opinion of Svetlana Gannushkina, the Chair of the "Civil Assistance" Committee, "random people were charged without due grounds."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.