08:15, 27 February 2019

Khazbiev’s defence criticizes decision of Ingush SC

Magomed Khazbiev, September 2008. Photo courtesy of the Caucasian Knot

The Supreme Court (SC) of Ingushetia has ignored the arguments about complete innocence of the oppositionist Magomed Khazbiev, and mitigated his sentence insignificantly, his advocates have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 27, 2018, the Magas District Court sentenced Khazbiev to two years and 11 months in a settlement colony. Today, the SC has found him innocent of inciting hatred and mitigated his sentence. Now, his term will expire in August. The defence intends to appeal against this decision and seek Khazbiev's complete acquittal.

Magomed Khazbiev was accused of illegal keeping firearms after his house in Nazran was searched in January 2015; then, he went to Chechnya, where he lived for several years under state protection. He was arrested upon his return to his homeland in January 2018. The accusations of insulting a power official – the head of the republic, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, – and inciting hatred towards a social group were added to the charge of illegal keeping firearms.

The prosecution has failed to prove Khazbiev's guilt, Kheda Ibrieva, an advocate, asserts. "Earlier we had to declare numerous objections to the judges and the state defender. The verdict is based on inadmissible proofs. The court failed to critically assess the prosecution's proofs. Even during the search, numerous violations were made," the advocate has stated at the trial.

"We disagree with the SC's decision, as we asked to fully acquit our client. The sentence is unjustified; and we'll appeal against it up to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)," Kheda Ibrieva told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 26, 2019 at 10:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Umar Yovloi

Source: CK correspondent