16 August 2024, 23:41
Defence claims that Khamukovs' guilt not proven
The Cassation Court has disregarded the fact that Asker and Lianna Khamukov, residents of Baksan, were convicted within the case of financing terrorism without any proofs of their guilt, while the charges were based on testimonies of some secret witnesses, their advocate has stated, stressing that all the appealing opportunities against the verdict at the national level have been exhausted.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 30, 2022, the military court sentenced Asker Khamukov to 18 years, and his sister Lianna – to 16.5 years in penal colony, finding them guilty of financing a terrorist organization. On August 6, the Cassation Court upheld the Khamukovs' sentence.
According to investigators and the court, in 2013, the Khamukovs joined a unit of the terrorist organization "Imarat Kavkaz"* and provided militants with their housing and food; and in 2015, they organized an online fundraising and donated 1.4 million roubles to militants of the "Islamic State" (IS)**.
"The mechanisms for challenging the verdict [at the national level] have been exhausted," said Magomed Bekov, an advocate, noting that "a convicted person can file a pardon petition in the name of the head of the state."
The advocate has stated that the guilt of his clients was not proven in court, which did not prevent the guilty verdict. "The charges are based on testimonies of secret witnesses who referred to the fact that Lianna and Asker had themselves told them everything, but the Khamukovs denied that throughout the inquiry and the trial," Magomed Bekov has explained.
*A terrorist organization operating in Northern Caucasus. On February 8, 2010, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the "Imarat Kavkaz" as a terrorist organization and banned its activities in the territory of Russia as its members planned and committed terror acts aiming to break Russia's territorial integrity and incite national and religious hatred.
**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.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 16, 2024 at 07:40 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Alikhan Mamsurov Source: СK correspondent
