Remizov: shortening prison terms of figurants in Volkov's won't repeat Manege Square riots

The mitigation of sentences to those guilty of murdering Yuri Volkov adopted by the Russian Supreme Court will not lead to mass protests, said Mikhail Remizov, President of the National Strategy Institute. Fans of the "Spartak" FC also believe that shortening of the terms would not cause any broad social response.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Yuri Volkov, 23, was killed on July 10, 2010, as a result of a fight between Muscovites and natives of Chechnya. Two of his friends were injured. On November 3, 2011, the Moscow City Court sentenced Akhmedpasha Aidaev, a native of Chechnya, who had been found guilty by jurymen, to 17 years in prison. Another fighter Ibragimov received six years of colony. The defence appealed against the verdict.

On January 19, the Judicial Panel of the Supreme Court appointed imprisonment of 16 years and 9 months of high security colony to Akhmedpasha Aidaev. Bekkhan Ibragimov received 5 years and 3 months of custody. The rest of the verdict was upheld. The Supreme Court explained the term correction in Volkov's case by amendments in the legislation.

The mitigation by the Russian Supreme Court of the punishment for the murder of Yuri Volkov will cause some reaction, but not such mobilized one as it was, when the case was at the peak of attention, said Mikhail Remizov, President of the National Strategy Institute.

"Simply 'by a click' Manege Square won't be full of protesters; however, no doubt, these and similar decisions are broadening the 'gap' between the authorities and the people who are concerned about criminality and lobbyists, who are eager to shelter the ethnic crime already after start of the inquiry," Mikhail Remizov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Court took neutral position, football fans believe

Thus, Andrei, a fan of Moscow "Spartak", like Volkov was, believes that reduction of prison terms by three months is quite acceptable.

"Should they have halved them, it'd have been a different story. Three months is just a drop against 17 years," the source told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Nevertheless, the fact of mitigation did not satisfy some of the fans.

"Aidaev deserved life imprisonment, but they even make his term shorter. Of course, holding pickets on this matter is unreasonable, although 17 years for a blatant murder is too little," Yuri, another "Spartak" fan, made his comment to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.