Court disbelieves repentance of Novorossiysk blogger Alibekov

A court in Novorossiysk has rejected the request lodged of Askhabali Alibekov to consider his criminal case under the special procedure in exchange for a mitigation of the punishment, by treating the blogger’s remorse for discrediting the army as insincere.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 29, 2022, the measure of freedom restraint for the 51-year-old Askhabali Alibekov was changed from the recognizance not to leave the country to custody. Investigators achieved his arrest after Alibekov refused to wear a tracking bracelet. The blogger is accused of discrediting the Russian Army.

According to the "Kavkaz.Realii"* project, the court found that the defendant was not sincerely repenting; therefore, it refused to consider the case under the special procedure.

"Askhabali became disillusioned with the Russian judiciary and understands that he will be imprisoned in any case. Therefore, he petitioned for the special procedure in order to receive at least the minimum term," the project quotes Patimat, Askhabali's wife, as saying.

Alibekov has stated that he was not allowed to communicate with other detainees and was not provided with medical assistance.

In 2017, Alibekov was sentenced to three years of probation. The military court found that he, being a deputy platoon commander, hit a junior in rank, breaking his jaw. In March 2018, he announced in his blog that after calling on President Vladimir Putin to leave the presidency, he was fired from his service in the Navy and his family received threats.