Defence claims pressure on figurant in Baksan fund case

Investigators have evidence that people from militants' encirclement transferred money to Khamukovs, residents of Baksan, but there are no proofs that the "One Body" Fund used these funds for criminal purposes, said the advocate. He explained Lianna Khamukova's testimony against her brother Asker by law enforcers' pressure.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Asker Khamukov, the founder of the "One Body" Charity Fund, was detained on October 7, 2019, in Baksan together with his pregnant sister, who gave birth to a baby on the following day after the detention, and his wife, who was released from the police in the evening on October 7. Asker Khamukov and his sister are suspected of financing terrorism.

According to Magomed Abubakarov, an advocate for Lianna Khamukova, in the case file there is evidence that the Khamukovs received money from people close to those involved in terrorist criminal cases. "Yes, there's information in case files that money was sent to Khamukovs' accounts, but there's no data that they sent this money anywhere. Moreover, they couldn't control the sources of the money – anybody could do it," the advocate has explained.

Ramzan Uzuev, another advocate, appealed against Khamukov's arrest, who insists on his innocence, Magomed Abubakarov has added.

Lianna Khamukova also refused to plead guilty; however, she signed the interrogation protocols stating that her brother transferred money to the Dagestani preacher Abu Umar of Sasitli; and in 2014, he helped militants with food and medicines. According to the advocate, Magomed Abubakarov, law enforcers forced Khamukova to sign her testimonies by taking advantage of her condition after the childbirth.

Mukhamed Khamukov, the defendants' father, has turned to the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial". "My son Asker is engaged in charity work; and my daughter Lianna helps him in this. They help poor people and large families. The accusation that they had allegedly organized financing of some terrorist organization is a blatant lie and slander," said the father.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 21, 2019 at 03:56 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.