Case of Dagestan resident, acquitted as IAF member, sent to reconsideration

The criminal case of Shamil Djavatov, a resident of Makhachkala, accused of illegal possession of explosives, complicity to and participation in illegal armed formations (IAFs), has been sent to a new trial, while his relatives are going to submit a supervisory complaint to the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Dagestan.

"The members of the Judicial Board on Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court of Dagestan have found that the judge of the Karabudakhkent district court had failed to fully consider the evidences of the prosecution. They mainly refer to the fact that the verdict had ignored the testimonies of law enforcers, who are the interested persons," said Magomed Djavatov, the uncle of the defendant.

Let us remind you that Shamil Djavatov disappeared on July 4, 2011; his relatives went out to protest actions; and on July 6 it became known that he was suspected of involvement in IAFs and was kept at the Karabudakhkent ROVD (District Interior Division). According to law enforcers, Djavatov was detained by ROVD employees in the forest with two explosive devices. The power of the bombs found on him made, according to the National Antiterrorist Committee (NAC), 25 kilos of TNT (trotyl) equivalent in total.

According to Magomed Djavatov, the Karabudakhkent district court had acquitted his nephew because of violations in the administration of the inquiry; however, the Supreme Court of Dagestan has overturned the acquittal and sent the case to a new trial by other judges.

"Shamil was detained on July 4 in Makhachkala by unidentified armed men; there are eyewitnesses of the incident. Then he was tortured; there is an appropriate medical certificate. They wanted that my nephew confessed of being a member of the IAF named 'Kadar Jamaat', rendering help to militants and wanting to hand the 25 kilos of explosive over to some unidentified person for committing a terror act. In order to stop the torture, Shamil confessed of everything," said Magomed Djavatov.