Chechen resident sentenced for involvement in warfare in Syria may be transferred to penal colony, his relatives apprehend

Said Mazhaev, a resident of Grozny, sentenced to two years of imprisonment for involvement in the warfare in Syria, who is being kept at the SIZO (pre-trial prison), has reported that he is to be transferred to a penal colony, although the appeal against the sentence has not yet been considered.

"At present, Said is being kept at the Grozny SIZO, and his advocate has filed the appeal against the sentence announced by the court. However, recently, we have learned that in spite of the appeal filed, law enforcers want to transfer Said to a penal colony. Meanwhile, we hoped that he would stay in Grozny until his case re-examined by the Supreme Court," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by a relative of Said Mazhaev.

Relatives and friends of Said Mazhaev have repeatedly noted the fact that Said Mazhaev returned to Chechnya after consultation with agents of the law enforcement authorities of Chechnya, and thus, they hoped for an acquittal or, in extreme cases, a conditional sentence.

"For me, it is clear that the case involves the secret services, and the verdict of guilty is a kind of law enforcers' revenge," the Said Mazhaev's relative believes.

The family members of Said Mazhaev note that he takes care of his wife and two minor children.

According to the investigating authorities of Chechnya, it is "obvious" that Said Mazhaev is guilty of involvement in the anti-government forces in the warfare in Syria. According to investigator, it is possible that Said Mazhaev stopped fighting only because he was wounded.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.