Moscow Student Charged With Trying to Join Islamic State Declared Sane

By The Moscow Times

April 7, 2016

Varvara Karaulova Pavel Karaulov / Facebook

Varvara Karaulova ?€” the Moscow student charged with attempting to join the Islamic State terrorist organization ?€” has been declared fit to stand trial, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday, citing Karaulova's lawyer.

Karaulova has undergone an examination to determine her mental state and has been recognized as sane, her lawyer, Sergei Badamshin told the agency.

The court will be unable to send her to psychiatric institution rather than jail, if convicted, RIA Novosti reported.

The 19-year-old student was first detained at the Turkish-Syrian border on June 4, 2015. Later that year, Karaulova was arrested and charged with trying for a second time to join the IS militant group. In December 2015, the court prolonged her detention until March 27.

The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

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