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Matveyevsky Market Police Attackers Get Lengthy Prison Terms

The City Court on Friday handed down lengthy prison sentences to two Dagestani natives found guilty of severely injuring a police officer in a high-profile case over an uprising at Moscow's Matveyevsky market last July.

The incident became the subject of a nationwide debate on immigration when a mass brawl erupted as police officers attempted to detain a Dagestani man suspected of rape and were attacked by the suspect's relatives.

One police officer sustained serious injuries in the attack, spurring authorities to shut down the market and conduct a wave of unplanned inspections at other open-air markets in the city and throughout the country.

The scandal also saw several police officers accused of corruption and fired for failing to help their colleague, Andrei Kudryashov, who was left in need of intensive care after sustaining a severe head injury.

The court on Friday found husband and wife, Magomed Rasulov and Khalimat Rasulova, guilty on charges of making an attempt on the life of a police officer and inflicting harm on a law enforcement authority.

Magomed Rasulov was given an 18-year sentence, and his wife received 12 years and 6 months, according to a statement on the court's website.

Magomed Magomedov, the man whose detention sparked the entire incident, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 14 years in a high-security prison earlier this month.

While the pair received considerable time behind bars, they avoided getting the maximum punishment for the charges, which is life imprisonment.

See also:

Suspect in Violent Market Arrest Sentenced for Rape

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