Dalgatov's relatives announce cassation appeal against security officer's sentence

The court's decision to uphold the sentence of former police officer Islam Atavov in the case of the death of Makhachkala resident Kurban Dalgatov did not satisfy the victims. At the trial of the other defendants in torture, witnesses are still being questioned.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, on December 9, 2024, the court sentenced Makhachkala police officer Islam Atavov to 7.5 years in prison, finding him guilty in the case of the death of Kurban Dalgatov. Dalgatov's family lawyer Madina Aliyeva appealed the verdict, but the Supreme Court of Dagestan upheld it.

At all July hearings on the case of the death of Kurban Dalgatov, prosecution witnesses were questioned, a source close to the Dalgatov family told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on August 2.

"They are questioning witnesses, they are telling how they were there, what they heard. Their testimony actually confirms what they said during the [pre-trial] investigation," he said, not ruling out that the interrogation of witnesses will take several more months.

According to him, the defense is preparing a cassation appeal against Islam Atavov's sentence, but has not yet received the full text of the court decision. "And therefore it is impossible to determine what the court was guided by when rejecting the [appeal] complaint," he said.

There is unconfirmed information that Imran Rustamov died in a military operation, the source added. "But these are rumors, for the veracity of which no one can vouch yet," he emphasized.

It is still necessary to interrogate 22 witnesses

Kurban Dalgatov's mother Raisa Dalgatova also suggested today that the interrogation of witnesses will continue for several more months. "According to the prosecutor's office, it is still necessary to interrogate 22 witnesses," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She confirmed that a cassation appeal will be filed against Islam Atavov's sentence. "Since we have started to fight here, we must go to the end," Raisa Dalgatova explained. The woman added that, according to her information, Imran Rustamov is missing.

Recall that on January 20, 2023, before the arrest of 35-year-old Kurban Dalgatov, a conflict between two men occurred on the street. According to the police, one of them shot at his opponent and escaped with the help of Dalgatov. Kurban Dalgatov was found and detained. At the police station, his health worsened, he was given first aid and taken to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead. Relatives said that Dalgatov died of suffocation, which occurred after he "was given electric shocks to the heart area." The man was injured before his death, the Interior Ministry confirmed.

There are three victims in the case: in addition to Dalgatov, two of his acquaintances were detained and also tortured. At the court hearing on July 7, the victim Bulat Atayev told how he was tortured and how he heard Dalgatov's screams.