21:48, 6 February 2018

Advocates treat verdict in case of "Ordjonikidze Jamaat" in Ingushetia as cruel

The defedants in the case of the so-called "Ordjonikidze Jamaat": Ilez Torchkhoev, Lechi Gadamauri, Timur Matiev. Photo by Konstantin Volgin for the "Caucasian Knot"

Relatives of nine residents of Ingushetia, sentenced to 5 to 19 years in prison within the case of the so-called "Ordjonikidze Jamaat", have treated the verdict as "lawlessness"; and the defence intends to appeal against it.

On February 6, the North-Caucasian District Military Court sentenced nine residents of Ingushetia, accused of assisting militants of the "Ordjonikidze Jamaat", to long prison terms.

Lechi Gadamauri, whom the court regarded as the head of the "Jamaat", was sentenced to 19 years of strict prison regime with subsequent restriction of freedom for a year and three months and a fine of 250,000 roubles. Other figurants in the case – Johar Tsechoev, Ilez Tsechoev, Ilez Torchkhoev, Timur Matiev, Akroman Buzurtanov, Zelimkhan Amriev, Askhab Albakov and Bagaudin Opiev – received from 5 to 14 years of general security imprisonment.

The defendants reacted to the verdict calmly, while their relatives, leaving the courtroom, treated it as "lawlessness."

Only Albakov and Amriev have partially pled guilty; the rest of them have completely rejected their guilt. Eight out of the nine defendants have stated that they had signed documents under torture; however, the initiation of a criminal case on their applications was denied.

"The verdict is unjustified, too severe and even cruel," Magomed Gagiev, an advocate, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Ingush rights defender Magomed Mutsolgov had earlier suggested that the "Ordjonikidze Jamaat" never existed.

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

Author: Konstantin Volgin

Source: CK correspondent