Alexandra Ivanova (Varvara Karaulova). Photo: RFE/RL

21 December 2016, 14:42

In her final speech, Varvara Karaulova admits her fault

Today, Alexandra Ivanova (Varvara Karaulova), a student, accused of an attempt to join a terrorist organization in Syria, has asked the court for leniency.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 5, the Moscow District Military Court began considering the case of Varvara Karaulova, accused of attempting to participate in a terrorist organization in Syria.

On June 4, 2015, Varvara Karaulova, a student of the Moscow State University (MSU), was detained at the Turkish-Syrian border among other citizens of Russia, including natives of Chechnya and Dagestan, and citizens of Azerbaijan, who, according to the investigators, intended to join the "Islamic State", banned in Russia by court and recognized as a terrorist organization. During the preliminary investigation, Alexandra Ivanova pleaded guilty; however, later she retracted her confession.

"I have understood everything when I found myself near a border at a migration centre. It was a huge mistake. I want to leave everything in the past, and I do not want my family members and friends to treat me as a suicide bomber and a terrorist. I believe I have already been punished enough and I dream to atone for my fault," stated the defendant.

Besides, Alexandra Ivanova has also asked her parents to forgive her for her escape from home. "I talked to him (a recruiter), because I loved him and not because he was a member of some extremist organization. That was a sick and inadequate passion," said Alexandra Ivanova as quoted by the "Interfax".

The pronouncement of the verdict against Alexandra Ivanova is scheduled for December 22, the "Kommersant" reports.

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

All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

April 23, 2024 16:23

April 22, 2024 22:35

April 22, 2024 19:54

April 22, 2024 18:58

  • Resident of Rostov Region fined for repost

    Igor Listopadov, a resident of the city of Semikarakorsk, Rostov Region, has been fined under an article about discrediting the Russian Army in a social network. The trial took place without his participation.

April 22, 2024 18:37

  • Armed incident in KChR is the first in 2.5 years

    The attack on policemen committed in the Karachay District, as a result of which two law enforcers were killed, was preceded by a counterterrorist operation (CTO) conducted in the same district of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) on November 26, 2021.

News archive