Support The Moscow Times!

Terror Cell Leader Jailed for 12 Years in St. Petersburg

Succo / Pixabay

A Russian man found guilty of leading a terrorist cell has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by a St. Petersburg court.

Isa Ragimov, from Russia's southern republic of Dagestan, was found guilty of organizing a cell for pan-Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Monday.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claim to have since arrested a further six cell members since Ragimov's arrest in April 2015.

Activists have repeatedly criticized Russia's decision to classify the group as terrorist.

“We have repeated many times that the Russian Supreme Court had no basis for calling Hizb ut-Tahrir a terrorist organization," human rights group Memorial said in a statement in September. "At the moment, there is not a single case of members trying to commit or preparing to organize a terrorist attack anywhere in the world.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more