Imam Makhmud Velitov hospitalized in penal colony

Makhmud Velitov, Imam of the Moscow "Yardyam" mosque, sentenced for preaching about a Dagestani religious figure, has been hospitalized because of his complaints of dizziness, pain in his legs and high blood pressure. This has been reported today by advocate Dagir Khasavov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 28, the Moscow District Military Court sentenced Makhmud Velitov to three years of imprisonment in a penal colony. Public prosecutors saw justification of terrorism in the Imam's interview and preaching about Abdulla Gappaev, a killed Dagestani religious figure who, according to investigators, was a member of the organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir" (recognized in Russia as a terrorist and banned by a court's decision).

"Makhmud Velitov has been hospitalized. He is serving his sentence in the penitentiary colony No. 12 in Astrakhan, and now he has been transferred to a hospital of another penal colony," reported advocate Dagir Khasavov.

The advocate has also added that Makhmud Velitov complains of dizziness, pain in his legs and high blood pressure. "He is a disabled person, and it is difficult for him to stay in such conditions," explained Dagir Khasavov as quoted by the RIA "Novosti".

Makhmud Velitov has been staying in the penal colony hospital already for a week because of the consequences of his two heart attacks, the "RAPSI" (Russian Agency of Legal and Judicial Information) reports today also with reference to Dagir Khasavov.

Earlier, the advocate has stated that the deterioration of health state, as well as the age and disability of Makhmud Velitov, are good arguments for speeding up the commencement of communication on his complaint by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

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