The Supreme Court of Bashkortostan reduced the punishment of the defenders of Kushtau

The Supreme Court of Bashkortostan reduced the punishment of the participants of the actions in defense of Shikhan Kushtau Ilnur Kinysarov and Rail Abkadyrov, shortened their conditional terms. This is reported by RusNews.

Abkadyrov’s sentence was reduced from seven years to three years and six months suspended, and a fine of 30,000 rubles was also imposed. Kynysarov – from three years and two months to three years and one month conditionally. Another convicted person, Rustem Amanov, was given the previous term of three years suspended by the court.

Activists were accused of “preparing to commit hooliganism motivated by national hatred, committed by a group of persons based on a preliminary agreement.” In addition, Kinisarov was also charged under the article about “illegal acquisition, storage of firearms”, and Abkadyrov under the article about “illegal acquisition, storage of explosives or explosive devices”.

According to the investigation, the convicts gathered on the grounds of national hatred to organize “acts of intimidation of Armenian nationals” on the territory of the Karmaskalinsky district of Bashkortostan. For this purpose, on November 7, 2020, they allegedly went to the village of Karmaskaly, but were detained by employees of the “Grom” special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Bashkortostan and employees of the Center for Countering Extremism. Activists claimed that brute physical force was applied to them during detention and they were beaten. In response to similar messages, law enforcement officers allegedly threatened further prosecution, including criminal cases.

The prosecutor’s office demanded that Abkadyrov be sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of 80,000 rubles, Kinisarov to five years, Amanov to three years and four months in prison. The accused did not admit their guilt. They insist that the criminal case against them is revenge for their active public and environmental position, including their participation in the protection of the Kushtau Shihan.