In case on IS unit in Karachay-Cherkessia, defence suspects law enforcers of provocation

In the case on creation of a unit of the "Islamic State" (IS, banned in Russia) in Karachay-Cherkessia, advocates of the defendants have demanded to check submachine guns appearing in the case. According to the defence, they had been planted to the defendants. The case is of political nature, and the law enforcement agencies seek to improve their records on solved crimes. This has been noted by political analyst Alexei Roschin.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in October 2016, law enforcers detained six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia, Dagestan, and the Stavropol Territory, including a woman, on suspicion of involvement in the IS. Five detainees complained of torture during the investigation.

On October 11, defendant Alexander Bendenko stated that his pre-trial testimony, in which he appeared as an "amir of jamaat," was obtained through blackmail and torture.

At a hearing of the North-Caucasian District Military Court held on October 17, an advocate of Rasul Saipudinov claimed that the case contained signs of provocation. According to the advocate, "the charge will fall apart" if the defence proves the submachine guns were planted.

The case on creation of an IS unit in the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) "looks like a typical case of political nature in which it is very difficult to distinguish truth from lie," believes Alexei Roschin. He has pointed to a high portion of guilty verdicts in Russia.

The expert has also noted that in Northern Caucasus, the law enforcement agencies are required to submit "figures on the detection of terrorist groupings."

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