Asret Rizakhanov

A native of Dagestan (a republic of Russia in the North Caucasus), he worked as a salesman in Odintsovo near Moscow.

He was detained on 7 May 2014 and taken into custody. The case was initially opened under the article on illegal possession of explosives, in June the charge of preparing to commit a terrorist act was added. Rizakhanov was testified against by his flatmates, who were initially also taken into custody, but were later sentenced to six months' imprisonment and released due to time served.

In June 2015, another case was opened against Rizakhanov for illegal possession of explosives. The cases were merged. The case includes testimony from secret witnesses who allegedly sat in the same cell with Rizakhanov and heard from him that he was a Wahhabi, that all the defendants in the case supported illegal armed groups and were going to commit a terrorist act to avenge the murdered associates.

Human rights activists consider the case to be falsified and regard it as part of a campaign to pressure Muslims.

On 10 March 2016, Rizakhanov was sentenced to 12 years in a strict regime colony.

You can read more about politically persecuted people in the Telegram channel OVD-Info LIVE and our database of politically motivated criminal prosecutions.