13:32, 9 August 2017

Sochi women sentenced for high treason and pardoned return home

Relatives meet Annik Kesyan (second on the left). Photo facebook.com/pavlov.svobodainfo

Rights defenders helped Annik Kesyan and Marina Djandjgava to raise the money to buy air tickets. Today, the women have returned to Sochi.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 28, the Russia President signed decrees to pardon Annik Kesyan and Marina Djandjgava sentenced for high treason after sending in 2008 SMS-messages to Georgia about transportation of military vehicles towards Abkhazia. The women left the SIZO (pre-trial prison) on August 8. They were short of money to buy air tickets, and a fund-raising was announced.

"The 'Team 29'" (a human rights association of lawyers and journalists) has helped raise the required amount of 52,000 roubles," the TASS quotes advocate Ivan Pavlov as saying.

The advocate has noted that the defence will continue to appeal against the verdict.

The pardon has not affected the decision to file a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), reported the advocates. On May 19, the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" recognized Annik Kesyan and Marina Djandjgava as political prisoners.

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