22 April 2023, 19:18
Rights defenders explain Interpol's decision to search for Dagestani preacher Abu Umar Sasitlinsky
The Interpol has stopped searching for Dagestani preacher Israil Akhmednabiev (Abu Umar Sasitlinsky), treating the arguments of Russian law enforcers in his case as unconvincing. However, this decision will not affect the course of criminal cases initiated against his fund in Russia, human rights defenders have noted.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that investigators treat Abu Umar Sasitlinsky as the organizer of financing terrorists through "charitable funds" under the pretext of building mosques and helping poor Muslims.
Investigators associate Dagestani residents Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Abubakar Rizvanov and Kemal Tambiev with Israil Akhmednabiev; the three Dagestanis are accused of raising 68 million roubles and 200,000 US dollars for terrorists under the pretext of building mosques and helping poor Muslims.
Israil Akhmednabiev was finally removed from the Interpol's international wanted list on April 12, the "Vayfond" human rights organization has reported.
Magomed Magomedov, a deputy editor-in-chief of the "Chernovik" (Draft) outlet, doubts that the Interpol's decision will affect the fate of those convicted or accused in Russia under terrorist articles. According to his story, the cancellation of the search is unlikely to affect the case of Adbulmumin Gadjiev, whom investigators had ion accuses of supporting Abu Umar Sasitlinsky.
Oleg Orlov, a human rights defender, also does not expect that the Interpol's decision will affect the fate of those accused of having links with the preacher in Russia. "It doesn't matter what the Interpol decides there, as, according to Russian authorities, Russia-hostile countries have settled there ... Once in this (Russian) system they've decided that someone is a terrorist, and the people around him support him, it means that they are guilty," he believes.
Mr Orlov has added that the Interpol's decision also means that the Russian party's arguments are unconvincing. "The removal from the wanted list means that the arguments of the Russian party have not convinced the Interpol," the human rights defender has concluded.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 21, 2023 at 04:58 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Roman Kuzhev Source: СK correspondent