18:13, 26 May 2016

Klykh and Karpyuk sentenced to long prison terms

At the court hearing in the case against Nikolai Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh in Grozny, May 17, 2016. Photo: Anton Naumlyuk (RFE/RL)

By the decision of the Chechen Supreme Court (SC) Nikolai Karpyuk has been sentenced to 22 years and 6 months of imprisonment, and Stanislav Klykh – to 20 years.

The SC has announced its decision today, the SC's press secretary has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. According to the source, the defendants were found guilty by the jury. Nikolai Karpyuk was sentenced to 22.5 years in a high security colony, just what the prosecutor demanded; and Stanislav Klykh – to 20 years in prison against 22 years, requested by the prosecutor.

Let us remind you that, according to investigators, Karpyuk and Klykh, being members of the organization named UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia, as its activities were treated as extremist by the court, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), on December 31, 1994, took part in warfare in Grozny near the railway station and Minutka Square, where they killed at least 30 servicemen and wounded at least 13 others. Karpyuk and Klykh denied their involvement in the conflict in Chechnya and stated that they had been tortured during the investigation.

Both defendants are recognized by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" as political prisoners.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.