21:17, 31 January 2024

Sentence to Volzhsky pensioners for extremism approved

The Volgograd Regional Court building. Photo by Vyacheslav Yaschenko for the "Caucasian Knot"

The Volgograd Regional Court has upheld the sentence of three pensioners, members of the Volzhsky branch of the "Russia's Security Committee", convicted to three years of freedom deprivation each within the case of taking part in an extremist community.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 17, the Volgograd Regional Court began considering the appeal lodged by pensioners Alexander Gaivoronsky, Sergey Dorofeev and Leonid Lavrentiev, whom the Volzhsky City Court had sentenced to three years in jail. The above members of the Volzhsky branch of the "Russia's Security Committee" claimed investigators' pressure and case falsification; they also complained about the absence of medical care at the SIZO (pre-trial prison).

On June 29, 2022, the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) reported the detention of several local residents in the Volgograd Region who, according to investigators, had created an extremist organization and discussed preparations for the seizure of power. They had allegedly organized the community aiming to change Russia's constitutional system by using weapons. The detainees are supporters of the idea of reviving the USSR; they had not previously shown themselves in the region; and their ideas enjoyed no support, analysts have noted.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 30, 2024 at 05:52 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot