In Gelendzhik, human rights activists sentenced to 8-13 years of imprisonment

In the KrasnodarTerritory, the court found members of the Gelendzhik Human Rights Centre (GHRC) guilty in the case of fraud and sentenced them to 8-13 years of imprisonment.

Let us remind you that on February 20, 2012, in the Krasnodar Territory, Vladimir Ivanov, the leader of the GHRC, Zufar Achilov, a member of the Board of the GHRC, and Valery Semergey, a member of the GHRC and the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Imeyu Pravo" (I Have Right to), were detained. According to the investigators' version, they were allegedly extorting two million roubles from a local businessman, and, if he refused to pay, they threatened to launch protest actions against violations committed by the businessman during the construction of the building.

Vladimir Ivanov, the leader of the GHRC, was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment, Zufar Achilov was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment, Gagik Avanesyan and Valery Semergey were sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment.

The staff members of the GHRC pleaded not guilty. According to their version, the money was intended for the Vidulin family living not far from the construction, and the human rights activists represented interests of the Vidulin family.