St. Petersburg metro terrorist attack case sentence comes into force

Sentence delivered in case over a suicide bomber terror attack committed in the St. Petersburg metro in 2017 came into force on Monday, the United press service of St. Petersburg court’s told RAPSI.

An appeals court on the base of the First Western District Military Court considered the defendants’ appeals. Sentence of the attack coordinator Abror Azimov ordered to life imprisonment was not changed. The others’ sentence was reduced a little.

In addition to the prison term Azimov was fined 800,000 rubles (over $10,000).

Thus, 28-year imprisonment of Azimov’s brother Akram and Mukhamadyusup Ermatov was reduced by 2 months, a 700,000-ruble fine was upheld for each. Ibragimzhon Ermatov, who initially received 27 years in a high-security prison and a 600,000-ruble fine, is to serve 26 years and 10 months behind bars. Prison sentence of Sodik Ortikov was mitigated from 23 years to 21 years and 11 months, a fine of 500,000 rubles was upheld.

Mukhamadyusuf Mirzaalimov, Azamzhon Makhmudov, Dilmurod Muidinov will serve 19 years and 11 months in jail instead of initially given 20 years and will pay 500,000-ruble fines each. Bakhram Ergashev and Seyfulla Khakimov, sentenced to 19 years in a high-security prison each and 500,000-ruble fines will serve 18 years and 11 months in custody. 20-year sentence of the only woman convicted in the case Shokhista Karimova was reduced by one month; a 500,000-ruble fine was upheld.

A court also granted a 695,000-ruble claim filed by the St. Petersburg metro against the defendants.

Azimov along with 10 other defendants were convicted of participating in a terrorist group, two attempted terrorist attacks, one committed terrorist act, illegal arms trafficking, producing, possession and transportation of explosives.

According to the prosecutor, the defendants are members of a criminal group and are charged with participation in a terrorist network, attempt to commit two terrorist attack, illegal arms trafficking, producing, keeping and carriage of explosives.

On April 3, 2017, at around 2:40 PM Moscow time, suicide bomber Akbarzhon Dzhalilov carried two explosive devices to the St. Petersburg metro. One device exploded in a train between St. Petersburg metro stations Technological Institute and Sennaya Ploshchad.

Over 50 were wounded, 15 people died in the blast. People allegedly involved in the crime were arrested in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Source: Rapsi News