08:33, 30 August 2018

Imam Velitov hospitalized in Astrakhan colony

Makhmud Velitov, an Imam of the Moscow "Yardyam" Mosque, convicted in the case of justifying terrorism, was sent to the hospital at the correctional colony in Astrakhan, said his advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 31 it became known that Imam Makhmud Velitov, convicted on charges of justifying terrorism, was transferred to a prison hospital with complaints of heart pains.

In April 2017, Makhmud Velitov was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in a penal colony. The court found justification of terrorism in the Makhmud Velitov's preaching about killed Dagestani religious figure Abdullah Gappaev, who, according to investigators, was a member of the organization "Hizb ut-Tahrir" banned in Russia. The Imam claims he was not aware that the law enforcement bodies considered Abdullah Gappaev as a terrorist. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" recognized the Imam to be a political prisoner.

Velitov was urgently hospitalized in extremely grave condition, the TASS reports today with reference to his advocate Dagir Khasavov.

According to the advocate, the Imam was "not treated to the end" during his last hospitalization a month ago.

Velitov suffered two heart attacks and is a Category II invalid; in the colony, he cannot perform outdoor walks in fresh air, prescribed by doctors; therefore, in jail "his life is in danger," the lawyer Khasavov had explained earlier.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 29, 2018 at 10:43 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.