Alkhanov's family disagrees with verdict for attacking Pskov paratroopers

The wife of Magomed Alkhanov, a Chechen native, has declared his innocence in the case of the attack on the Pskov paratroopers and intends to appeal against the verdict. Svetlana Gannushkina*, a human rights defender, treats the witness' testimony in Alkhanov's case as dubious.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in September, the Rostov-on-Don Military Court sentenced Magomed Alkhanov to 10 years in penal colony, recognizing him as a member of the Basaev and Khattab detachment that attacked the Pskov paratroopers in 2000. Alkhanov was also found guilty of inciting an official to abuse of power and escaping from custody. These charges related to the events of 2021, when Alkhanov, according to investigators, bribed an FSIN (Russian Federal Penitentiary Service) employee and managed to escape from a hospital in the Astrakhan Region.

Despite the difficult conditions and Alkhanov's separation from his family, his relatives hope for justice and intend to continue fighting for his acquittal, his wife, Rashan Alkhanova, has stated.

Rashan Alkhanova has called the accusation against her husband of hostage-taking absurd. "There can be no talk of hostage-taking; he did not leave his cell," she said.

According to her story, the defence does not intend to appeal the "escape episode" (in 2021). "The escape was a forced measure to protect against injustice," said Rashan.

During the prosecution of her husband, the family faced life difficulties, she has noted. "My husband was the only breadwinner in the family. To this day, we literally have to survive with two young children ... The youngest son, who will soon be three, has never seen his father in person," Magomed's wife has explained.

In court, Alkhanov's defence pointed out the absurdity of the witness' testimony, presumably a sniper, who allegedly identified the defendant 20 years later. The advocate doubted that after 20 years it is possible "to identify a person who was a boy at the time and is now a man."

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the head of the "Civic Assistance" Committee*, also calls such testimony absurd. "How one can compare people at such different ages?" she said. According to her version, different methods are used for identification after a long time, which together can give accurate results.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.