Two defendants in Makhachkala riots case plead innocent

Makhmud Djavatkhanov and Abdulbasir Atavov have confirmed in court that they were present at the Makhachkala Airport during the riots, but denied the crime charges.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 26, it became known that the first hearing in the Makhachkala riots case was held at the Oktiabrsky District Court of Stavropol. Three defendants – Gamzat Isakov, Makhmud Djavatkhanov and Abdulbasir Atavov – are accused of taking part in mass riots and violating the transport safety regulations.

Makhmud Djavatkhanov and Abdulbasir Atavov refuse to admit their guilt, their advocates have informed.

"He admits that he was at the airport, but didn't commit any actions and didn't violate anything there," said Bashir Abdurakhmanov, a Djavatkhanov's advocate, adding that Djavatkhanov, who was engaged in repairing private houses, "saw the crowd and went with it."

Aligadji Abdusalamov, an Atavov's advocate, said that his client, who was a medical student until October 2023, "by chance ended up where he should not have been."

The only thing that Atavov admits is that he was at the airport. "But he has already been punished for this, having served a sentence of seven days of freedom deprivation for taking part in an illegal rally," the advocate has emphasized.

Let us remind you that on August 23, the Armavir City Court sentenced five defendants (Anvarbek Ataev, Islam Ibragimov, Magomed Omaraskhabov, Rabadan Radjabov and Salik Ramazanov) to the freedom deprivation for the terms ranging from six years and four months to nine years. The court issued a harsh sentence without any proofs of the defendants' participation in the riots, the advocate has stated. The appellate court has upheld the verdicts.