People convicted of participation in Makhachkala riots plead not guilty

In Dagestan, a court sentenced to fines and arrests those accused of participating in the riots at an airport in Makhachkala, ignoring the people’s assurances that they did not participate in the anti-Israel action.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on October 29, mass riots occurred at the Makhachkala airport following the messages reporting about the arrival of a plane with passengers from Israel. More than 20 people were injured, including nine police officers. The police detained 201 people for participation in the riots, and administrative protocols were drawn up against 155 of them.

The Kizilyurt District Court of Dagestan examined 22 cases instituted against riot participants and found them all guilty. The rioters were sentenced to punishments ranging from fines of 10,000 roubles to ten days of arrest, although some of them pleaded not guilty, the “Kavkaz.Realii”* reports.

Brothers Djabrail and Temav Irisbiev said they learned from social networks that “something was happening at the airport,” but did not get to the airport, as they learned from eyewitnesses that “it was already over.” “We didn’t even know if there was a rally there or something else,” Temav Irisbiev is quoted as saying. Despite the above, the brothers were sentenced to 10 days of arrest.

Islamutdin Zakaryaev, who was also sentenced to 10 days of arrest, explained his presence near the airport in a similar way.

Makhachkala resident Ibragim Magomedov explained that he was at the scene of the riots because he was seeing off his friend to Moscow and left the airport when the friend flew away. However, the court sentenced Ibragim Magomedov to a fine of 10,000 roubles.

Magomed Sagitov said that he met his friend at the airport, but was detained. The man was also sentenced to 10 days of arrest.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.