In Moscow, two Dagestanis face trial on charges of attempting to overthrow political system

The Moscow City Court has started the trial in the case against members of the banned organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir". The prisoners' dock contains Saipulla Kurbanov and Shamil Ismailov, two natives of the Republic of Dagestan, and Zakrillokhon Rakhmonkhodjaev and Azizbek Inamov, two natives of Central Asia. The defendants are accused of illegal possession of weapons, involvement and organizations of a banned community, abetment to terror activities, and preparation to violent seizure of power.

Let us remind you that in November 2012, in the Moscow Region, law enforcers detained seventy persons suspected of involvement in the organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir". The detainees were charged with attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

According to advocate Abusupyan Gataev, the charge is fabricated and groundless.

Vitaly Ponomaryov, the manager of the programme developed by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" to counter fabrication of criminal cases on Islamic extremism, has stated that the criminal case is a part of the "intensively developed anti-Muslim campaign."

The organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir" has been unreasonably recognized as a terrorist organization. This opinion has been expressed by Svetlana Gannushkina, Chair of the Committee "Civil Assistance", which implements humanitarian and educational projects in Northern Caucasus. "None of terror act has ever been reported as committed by the organization 'Hizb ut-Tahrir'. In some European countries, this organization exists legally," Svetlana Gannushkina has stated.

See earlier reports: "Journalist of "Caucasian Policy" found guilty of involvement in extremist organization", "Dagestani resident is fined for involvement in "Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami"", "In Moscow, suspected recruiter into banned Islamist organization detained".