Blogger Alibekov decides to challenge verdict on discrediting army

Askhabali Alibekov, a native of Dagestan, has decided to appeal against the verdict of the court, which convicted him for discrediting the Russian Army and sentenced him to a year and two months of freedom deprivation, Marina Dubrovina, an advocate, has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in January this year, the Primorsky Court of Novorossiysk denied Alibekov's request for a special procedure for considering his criminal case, which provides for an admission of guilt in exchange for a milder punishment. The court considered that Alibekov was insincerely remorseful. Alibekov complained that he was not provided with medical care.

"In the appeal the main argument is as follows: with such an accusation, it is necessary to prove the existence of intent. But Alibekov's motive was personal; according to his version, he wanted to save his son from possible death and didn't want to discredit the army," Marina Dubrovina has explained.

Patimat, Alibekov's wife, has stressed that her family feels no pressure from law enforcers. As for friends and neighbours, she said that most of them turned away. "A minority has remained, but most devoted ones," she said.