Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
The defense succeeded in including in the case of Nadezhda Kevorkova, accused of justifying terrorism, statements by the Russian President and the head of the Foreign Ministry about the possibility of building relations with the Taliban government* and excluding the movement from the list of those banned in Russia, the lawyer said. The extension of the journalist's arrest will be appealed.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, on May 7, the Basmanny Court of Moscow arrested 65-year-old journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova, accused of justifying terrorism, for two months. Kevorkova, during interrogation by the Investigative Committee, refused to admit guilt. Today, the Basmanny Court of Moscow extended her arrest until August 6.
The text by Orhan Dzhemal, the publication of which became the reason for Kevorkova’s accusation, had not previously been declared illegal. The arguments that the publication on Kevorkova’s telegram channel was accessible to a wide audience do not correspond to reality, the lawyer emphasized. Nadezhda Kevorkova’s publications about the events in Nalchik in 2005 concerned the torture to which detainees were subjected and irritated the security forces, while “she did not support terror in any form,” said Kevorkova’s ex-husband, journalist Maxim Shevchenko.
Today the Basmanny Court of Moscow considered a petition to extend the detention of journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova. The journalist was brought to the courtroom from the pre-trial detention center for the hearing. Representatives of the media, as well as relatives, colleagues, and friends of Kevorkova came to the court, but only close relatives were able to enter the courtroom. Writing journalists were simply not allowed into the hall. The judge opposed the installation of an additional bench for the press and the public; only seven people were allowed into the courtroom, including one journalist, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent who visited the court reported.
Judge Timur Vakhrameev of the Basmanny Court read out the decision to extend the detention of journalist Nadezhda Kevorkova without any reasoning. The reasons for the detention of the 65-year-old journalist were voiced by the investigator, who is confident that “Kevorkova can put pressure on witnesses and hide materials on the case.”
Nadezhda herself behaved cheerfully, with a smile. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, along with other journalists, was able to photograph Kevorkova before the start of the meeting.
Friends of the journalist congratulated her on the birth of her granddaughter, the daughter of Vasily Polonsky.
Journalists managed to ask Kevorkova a question about the conditions of detention. “It’s normal, like in a pioneer camp,” she answered. After this, the bailiff interrupted communication. The majority of both journalists and those who came to support Kevorkova were not allowed into the courtroom.
Kevorkova's lawyer Albina Pavlova asked the court to choose a different measure of restraint not related to detention. The defense also put forward a number of motions.
“This time, unlike the last meeting, the judge agreed to include in the case statements by Russian officials (Putin, Lavrov) about the Taliban movement (The Taliban movement is banned in Russia), from which it was clear that the movement could be excluded from the list extremist,” Albina Pavlova told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
The initiative to exclude the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations banned in Russia is due to the fact that it has real power in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on May 27. “They are the real power. We are not indifferent to Afghanistan,” TASS quoted him as saying. Lavrov added that this process is associated with “awareness of reality.” A similar opinion was expressed a day later by the Russian President, noting that it is necessary to build relations with the Islamist radical Taliban movement. “We need to build it somehow, these are the people who control the country,”
TASS quoted him as saying on May 28. The head of state voiced a similar opinion on June 5. “We have always proceeded from the fact that we must proceed from reality. The Taliban control power in Afghanistan. <...> We must build relations with the Taliban government,” the agency quoted him as saying.
She noted that the conditions of detention in the pre-trial detention center do not upset Kevorkova. “She doesn’t like to complain at all and doesn’t complain. The letters are getting through. There were no visits with relatives, although they asked for it. But this is a common practice; during the preliminary investigation, visits are very rarely allowed,” Pavlova explained.
She indicated that the appeal against the choice of a preventive measure on May 7 will be considered in the Moscow City Court only on June 26. “We will also appeal this extension,” Pavlova said.
One of Kevorkova’s relatives (Polonsky was not in the courtroom) said that letters reach Nadezhda from everywhere without problems. “There are no problems with parcels and transfers. Books from the home library were also transferred. They are checked by the prison library, which puts its stamp on them,” she explained.
According to Kevorkova’s relatives, parcels should be sent to her only after coordination with her defenders and relatives.
Let us remind you that Kevorkova was accused of justifying terrorism for publications in her Telegram channel. The reason was the repost of a text from 2010 by journalist Orkhan Dzhemal about the attack on Nalchik and a publication about the Taliban movement.
As follows from the publication dated September 23, 2018, Kevorkova in her Telegram channel completely reprinted the text of Orkhan Dzhemal, adding only one phrase on her own: “Text of 2010 by Orkhan Dzhemal on the death of Anzor Astemirov.” In his article, Orkhan Dzhemal talked about his acquaintance with Anzor Astemirov and the miscalculations of the authorities that led to discontent among Muslims.
On October 13, 2005, there was an armed attack on Nalchik, the participant of which, Anzor Astemirov, was the subject of Dzhemal’s 2010 article. According to investigators, at least 250 militants took part in the attack. As a result, 35 security forces and 15 civilians were killed, 129 security forces and 66 civilians were injured. During the fighting in the city, 95 militants were killed, according to the “Caucasian Knot” certificate “ Attack on Nalchik on October 13-14, 2005.”
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