Ombudsman to study mitigation of punishment for Hizbs
Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova will check the observance of the rights and the degree of danger of previously arrested and convicted members of the terrorist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The corresponding decision was made following a meeting between Moskalkova and relatives of the accused and convicted members, the Kommersant newspaper writes today.
According to the publication, a special working group is being created under Moskalkova to prepare proposals for improving legislation regarding the Hizb.
Currently, Hizb ut-Tahrir members are being sentenced by courts to prison terms of up to 24 years, although the case materials contain no evidence of terrorist attacks or preparations for them, the defense of the convicts insists.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Islamic organization founded in the early 1950s that advocates a global caliphate. Banned in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Germany, Egypt, Pakistan, China and a number of other countries. In Russia, it was recognized as terrorist by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in 2003.
In Russia, to date, 239 people have been arrested for participation in Hizb ut-Tahrir, of which 171 have been convicted.
Before the annexation of Crimea to Russia, Hizb ut-Tahrir operated openly in Crimea, since it carried out legal activities in Ukraine. Members of the organization held rallies and conferences in the center of Simferopol. After the Russian Spring, a significant part of the Crimean Hizb moved to Ukraine.
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