Family of Khavazh Derbichev, resident of Ingushetia, treats his verdict of financing terrorism as reprisal

The guilt of Khavazh Derbichev, a Malgobek resident, sentenced to 15.5 years within the case of financing terrorism, has not been proven; Khavazh himself and the case witness gave the testimonies obtained by law enforcers under torture, Derbichev's father and his advocate have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don had sentenced Khavazh Derbichev to 15.5 years in a penal colony, finding him guilty of aiding and abetting to financing the "Islamic State" (IS)*.

In August 2022, Derbichev was detained with Ilyas Kartoev, a native of Ingushetia, who also figures in the case; he has been put on the wanted list.

Khavazh was detained at his home; during the preliminary investigation, he was tortured by law enforcers, his father, Magomed Derbichev, has stated.

"He was subjected to pressure; and his wife, when she was pregnant, was scared that the child would be taken away; they demanded from her to incriminate her husband ... They put a bag over Khavazh's head; they threatened to push a stick into his anus, so he incriminated himself," the father has stated.

Mustafa Garakoev, an advocate, said that Khavazh Kartoev only knew that his bank cards were being used to raise funds for the construction of wells in Africa.

In accusing Derbichev of premeditated actions, investigators obtained a testimony of a witness dependent on them, Adam Kartoev, the advocate has added.

*On December 29, 2014, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the organization "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL or IS) as a terrorist international organization and banned its activities in Russia.