Rizvanov points out to court of appeal numerous violations in case

Abubakar Rizvanov, convicted together with Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev in the case on financing terrorism, spoke in the military court of appeal, emphasizing multiple violations and inconsistencies in the case and the verdict.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Abdulmumin Gadjiev, the editor of the Dagestani weekly newspaper “Chernovik” (Rough Draft), was awaiting consideration of the appeal against his sentence. The appeal was filed back in September 2023. In the Moscow Region, at the first hearing on the case against Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Kemal Tambiev, and Abubakar Rizvanov held on October 11, the military court of appeal refused to grant the defence’s motions. On October 16, advocates claimed that Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Kemal Tambiev, and Abubakar Rizvanov were not guilty.

Abubakar Rizvanov laid out all the inconsistencies in the verdict, a source report. The convict stated that his right to examine the case materials was violated, since some of the documents could not be opened. Abubakar Rizvanov also pointed out that the unjustified transfer to SIZO (pre-trial SIZO) in Grozny deprived him of the opportunity to promptly submit additions to the appeal, the “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD)* reported.

Let us remind you that one of the three judges who pronounced the verdict voiced his dissenting opinion, in which he criticized the grounds for the guilty verdict and in fact acquitted Abdulmumin Gadjiev.

*As reported on the website of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the reason for including on March 1, 2024, the unregistered “Memorial” Centre for Human Rights Defence (CHRD) into the register of foreign agents was the spread of “inaccurate information aimed at creating a negative image of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian Armed Forces.”