Khasavyurt resident sentenced for participating in shootout with border guards

The court recognized Magomed Elmurzaev, who participated in a shootout with border guards in 2017, as a member of the Khasavyurt grouping of militants and sentenced him to 22 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. Magomed Elmurzaev was helping the militants under threat of reprisal, the defence claimed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 30, 2017, in the Kursk Region on the border with Ukraine, a border guard officer was killed in a shelling attack. One of the attackers was killed, the second blew himself up, the third – Magomed Elmurzaev – was detained, and the fourth – Ali Demelkhanov – managed to escape.

The 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced Magomed Elmurzaev, a resident of Khasavyurt, to 22 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony and a fine amounting to 250,000 roubles. The defendant was found guilty of two cases of assault on the life of a law enforcer, participation in an illegal armed formation (IAF) and a terrorist community, illegal storage and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives, and an attempt to illegally cross the state border.

According to advocate Bayali Elmurzaev, his client Magomed Elmurzaev was helping Arbi Bantaev and Ali Demelkhanov under threat of reprisal and was not actually a militant. "Initially, he was supposed only to give them a lift. After the clash [with the policemen] in Khasavyurt, they were afraid to let him go. Of course, he could try to hide, but his family members were taken hostage," the advocate said.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 23, 2020 at 04:13 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.