Dagestani blogger and political prisoner asked for four years in prison
At a court hearing in Kazan, the state prosecution requested four years in prison for Dagestani native and former military man Askhabali Alibekov, known as the author of the YouTube channel "Wild Paratrooper". A criminal case was opened against him on charges of using violence against police officers.
On February 20, about 15 security officers detained Alibekov in Kazan. He said that he had come there to become an observer at the presidential elections. Police officers attacked him, threw him to the ground and beat him on the body and face. However, charges were brought against Alibekov.
In March 2023, the former military man was sentenced to one year and two months in prison in the case of "discrediting" the Russian army. The man advocated for peace after the start of the "SVO". According to the lawyer, the defendant wanted to save his son from death in the war with Ukraine. In 2018, he served in the Black Sea Fleet and called for a boycott of the Russian presidential elections.
The human rights project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial" recognized Askhabali Alibekov as a political prisoner.
"The criminal prosecution of the citizen has two goals: to avoid proceedings in connection with the police abuse of power during his detention at the Kazan train station and to force the blogger to stop his opposition activities," the human rights activists said in a statement.
