The inmate in Rostov-on-Don was sentenced to a long term for preparing to set fire to the pre-trial detention center.

The military court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Muradjon Ertaev to 29 years, finding him guilty of preparing to set fire to one of the Rostov pre-trial detention centers.

Ertaev was charged with participation in a terrorist organization (part 2 of article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), preparation of a terrorist act (part 2 of article 205 of the Criminal Code) with hostage-taking (part 2 of article 206 of the Criminal Code), as well as preparation for the disorganization of the work of the pre-trial detention center using violence (part 3 of article 321 of the Criminal Code).

According to the prosecution's version, between early March and July 23, 2025, Ertaev, who was in custody in the pre-trial detention center in Rostov region, joined the international terrorist organization "Islamic State"* and began to "act actively" in its interests: he studied and spread the ideology of the organization, discussing religious topics with inmates who were considering converting to Islam.

At the same time, the inmate somehow obtained information about possible searches in the territory of the pre-trial detention center. By April 3, 2025, he already had the intent to commit a terrorist act – he wanted to set fire to the detention center building allegedly in the interests of the IS*, the press service of the Southern District Military Court reported on its "VKontakte" page.

The prosecution claims that the defendant planned to raise a flag with the ISIS* symbols and film a video after the fire to later distribute it online. Between April 3 and July 23, 2025, he acquired knives, a mobile phone, a T-shirt with the IS* flag, and literature of a "terrorist nature".

In addition, Ertaev monitored the actions of the pre-trial detention center staff and thus established the time of the guards' shifts. His plan was thwarted by the intervention of law enforcement; the court's statement does not specify how the authorities obtained information about the inmate's intentions.

During the trial, Ertaev "fully admitted" his guilt on all counts. The court sentenced him to 29 years in a high-security colony, with the first nine years to be served in prison.

The punishment was imposed in conjunction with the sentence of the Kirov District Court of Rostov-on-Don. This court sentenced Ertaev to 16.5 years in a high-security facility on September 4, 2025, for disorganizing the work of the pre-trial detention center, notes "Interfax-South".

The news agency referred to Muradjon Ertaev as a "native of Crimea," although in the register of terrorists and extremists of Rosfinmonitoring, he is listed as a native of the city of Andijan in Uzbekistan. Ertaev was born in July 1995; his data was added to the list in early February 2025 – even before all the events described in the prosecution's version.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that on June 16, 2024, inmates in Rostov pre-trial detention center No. 1 took FSIN employees hostage. They claimed to be supporters of the "Islamic State"*, and demanded a car, weapons, and unhindered exit. As a result of the assault, law enforcement freed the hostages, and five inmates involved in the hostage-taking were killed. Two others, according to law enforcement, were injured in the hostage-taking.

"Caucasian Knot" prepared a report with a timeline of these events and questions that arose due to what happened in the pre-trial detention center. On September 4, 2026, those accused of hostage-taking were sentenced to terms ranging from 21 to 29 years of imprisonment.

* the organization is recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia by the court.

** the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.