In caliphate case, witnesses claim violations during search of defendant's apartment

At the trial in the case on an attempt to create a caliphate in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR), the mother and aunt of defendant Islam Shogenov claimed that law enforcers searched the defendant's apartment during more than an hour in absence of witnesses.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in August 2016, the North-Caucasian District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don started considering the case against ten KBR residents. On January 13, the Court started questioning of Tatiana Misostova, the mother of Islam Shogenov, who stated her son had alibi.

On January 24, Tatiana Misostova said that on January 11, 2014, she was in Nalchik in her son's apartment and saw how law enforcers seized a grenade and an improvised explosive device (IED).

Ms Misostova has rejected the investigators' version, according to which her son walked around the apartment with a grenade in his pocket.

Besides, the Court has also questioned Azamat Bidov, the best friend of Islam Shogenov. He has noted that the defendant's wedding party was held not under Islamic, but under usual secular standards, and there were alcoholic beverages on tables. According to Azamat Bidov, none of the defendants attended the Islam Shogenov's wedding party, and that fact proves they were not close friends of Islam Shogenov.

Tatiana Misostova asked the Court to justify her son, since the case file contains no video, audio or photo materials to prove his guilt. Islam Shogenov did not confess to the crime, and his mother believes a grenade and an IED were planted on him.

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