Case of participant of Basaev's raid on Dagestan sent for reconsideration

After overturning the verdict, the case of Alexander Umantsev, a Chechen native, convicted of taking part in the militants' raid on Dagestan, has been sent for review.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 5, 2024, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) reported on the transfer to court of the criminal case against Alexander Umantsev, accused under the article "Encroachment on law enforcers' life" (which entails a sentence from 12 years in jail to life imprisonment).

According to investigators, on September 5, 1999, Umantsev, as a member of the grouping led by Shamil Basaev and Amir Khattab, took part in an attack on policemen and "fired aimed shots at them from a Kalashnikov submachine gun".

The decision to return the case to the above District Court was made on October 9 by the Supreme Court (SC) of Dagestan. The SC noted that it is unclear from the description of the crime under what circumstances Umantsev had joined the gang; from whom he received the weapon, how he ended up in the territory of Dagestan; and what specific actions he committed as a gang member.

The cases of participation in the gangs of Basaev and Khattab are similar and often falsified, Narine Airapetyan, an advocate, stated earlier. According to her version, cases are also fabricated against innocent people.

"When people didn't participate, then under threat, including torture, others are forced to testify against them. For example, one of my clients, who is serving his sentence, told me that he was pressed to testify about the events of 1999 against people he didn't even know," the advocate has added.