The court denied Arashukov's request to question the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service.

Former Senator from Karachay-Cherkessia Rauf Arashukov, accused of bribing prison staff, requested the court to question the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) for the Orenburg Region, but was denied. The court granted Arashukov's requests to question prison staff and inmates.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," in October 2024, it became known that former Senator from Karachay-Cherkessia Rauf Arashukov was accused of transferring three million rubles to staff at the "Black Dolphin" prison in exchange for favorable conditions for him serving his sentence. Arashukov himself called the bribery case a provocation before the hearing of his appeal against the verdict in the murder and criminal organization case.

Rauf Arashukov requested to question the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Orenburg Region at a court hearing on his bribery case, but was refused, the Leninsky District Court of Orenburg reported today on VKontakte, a publication brought to the attention of RIA Novosti.

Arashukov filed his motion today, according to the court's statement. "During today's court hearing, the defendant filed a motion to question the head of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Orenburg Region, but the court denied the motion," the statement reads.

Since the case materials were received, the court has read the indictment, examined the written case materials, questioned 21 witnesses, read the testimony of two witnesses, and questioned the defendant, the court reported.

"The court has granted the defendant's motions to question additional witnesses from among the prison staff and convicts serving their sentences. […] Defendant R.R. Arashukov does not admit guilt in bribery," the statement reads.

As a reminder, in October 2024, an address to Ramzan Kadyrov was published on Rauf Arashukov's social media page. href="https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/404669">request for help. This appeal is motivated by a desire to gain support and achieve a mitigated sentence, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" explained.

Previously, Caucasus scholars indicated that the collapse of the Arashukov clan was the work of people occupying a position significantly higher than Ramzan Kadyrov, with whom Rauf Arashukov was friends. The Arashukov clan emerged as part of a special services project, and its downfall, they believe, was solely due to criminal prosecution.

According to investigators, Raul Arashukov instructed his son to organize the murders of Aslan Zhukov, deputy chairman of the Adyghe-Khase movement, and Fral Shebzukhov, advisor to the head of Karachay-Cherkessia. Rauf Arashukov, in turn, ordered high-ranking security officials not to investigate Zhukov's murder. More details on the murders Rauf Arashukov is accused of organizing can be found in the Caucasian Knot report "High-profile Murders in Karachay-Cherkessia".