Today, on July 7 in the Urus-Martan City Court of the Chechen Republic the verdict in the case of Ruslan Kutaev, a Chechen social activist and political  figure, was announced. He was found guilty of criminal offenses under Article 228 (2) of Russian Criminal Code (illegal acquisition and possession of large quantity of drugs without intent to sell) and sentenced to 4-year prison term to be served in general regime (minimum security) penal colony.

Kutaev repeatedly emphasized that he considered his case to be politically motivated:  «…This is the way the Chechen authorities are hindering me from human rights activity… My opinion, which I express in public, differs from the officials’ one, and it irritates them. Nevertheless, this is not the main reason for my being  prosecuted either».

He also proclaimed his innocence: «…Lately, it has become a tendency in Russia that politicians and social activists who criticize the authorities are being discredited, and the Chechen Republic doesn’t make any exception… That is why the false charges with acquisition and  possession of drugs and the criminal proceedings against me are mere vengeance for my political activity. This is the way  they are intimidating other Chechen political and social activists and human rights defenders, who openly criticize the authorities…».

Human rights defenders with the Joint Mobile Group (JMG) are convinced that the man is being persecuted for political reasons, and has given the self-incriminating statements under torture.

The Chechen authorities reject any political motives in the case (the man was arrested one day after he had participated in the conference dedicated to the 70-th anniversary of Chechen – Ingush deportation, the conference was not agreed with the authorities), and argue that the prosecution of the 56-year-old Chechen politician is a standard and commonplace criminal case.