Aigul Makhmutova
Aigul Makhmutova, born 1984, Moscow. Charges: Article 130 part 1, Russian Criminal Code; Article 163 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code (Demands to carry out property-related actions under the threat of damage or destruction of the…); “Aigul Makhmutova extortion case”, opened on January 1, 2007. Sentence (October 25, 2021): 4 years 10 months of imprisonment in a colony of general regime, to be released from execution of punishment; previously convicted under Article 159 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code. Status: at large. Recognition: Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners — recognised as persecuted on political grounds, December 1, 2018; Memorial Human Rights Centre — recognised as a political prisoner, July 17, 2008.
In brief
Moscow · Moscow · Journalists
Sentence
4 years 10 months
of imprisonment in a colony of general regime, to be released from execution of punishment
First instance, September 3, 2007: 5 years 6 months
Other verdicts
- June 17, 2007 — terms: three years six months
Charges
- Article 159 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Fraud
- Article 130 part 1, Russian Criminal Code
- Article 163 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code — Demands to carry out property-related actions under the threat of damage or destruction of the victim's property, dissemination of information that disgraces the victim or those close to them or violence.
Full wording of the charges
According to the investigation, at an unspecified time, in an unspecified place and under unspecified circumstances, she entered into a criminal conspiracy with unidentified persons, aimed at extorting money from the entrepreneur B. Akhmetzyanova under threat of violence; being on the territory of the "Weekend Fair", threatening physical violence, periodically demanded from Akhmetzyanova to hand over money in the amount of 500 to 800 rubles for each day of trade at the fair; on 1 February 2008, being at the wheel of a car, committed a criminal offence. Makhmutova was initially charged with extortion and insult, but the insult charge was later dropped.
Latest event
October 25, 2021 — cassation
The court changed the sentence to 4 years 10 months.
Recognition by rights defenders
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, December 1, 2018
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, December 1, 2008
- Recognised as a political prisoner — Memorial Human Rights Centre, July 17, 2008
- Recognised as persecuted on political grounds — Memorial Human Rights Centre, July 17, 2008
Timeline
· Cassation ruling
sentence changed, released from serving the sentence · 4 years 10 months
· Persecution ends
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Persecution ends
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners
· Appeal ruling
upheld
· Recognised as a political prisoner
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· Recognised as persecuted on political grounds
Memorial Human Rights Centre
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 5 years 6 months
· First-instance verdict
guilty verdict · 3 years 6 months
· Preventive measure: pre-trial detention
· Criminal case opened
Aigul Makhmutova extortion case
· Persecution begins
Aigul Makhmutova's case of fraud and violence
Criminal case
Aigul Makhmutova extortion case
Aigul Makhmutova's case of fraud and violence
Details and sources
Full summary
On 15 December 2006, she was detained by officers of the Department of Internal Affairs of the South-East Administrative District. On 26 December, she was taken into custody by court order. On 5 February 2007, the Moscow City Court overturned the order of the Kuzminski court for her arrest. On 20 September, Makhmutova was detained by officers of the Ryazansky police department at an agreed picket, where she was participating as a reporter. At the police department, Makhmutova was severely beaten and taken to the hospital. On 7 February 2008, Makhmutova was arrested again in the criminal case from a year ago, as her preventive measure was suddenly changed based on a new application from the victim. On 8 February, Makhmutova was taken out of the pre-trial detention center by a police officer, served with papers, and taken to the Kuzminsky court, where she was arrested again. The court session was declared closed, citing the testimony of a witness who was a freelance police officer in the case file. The testimony of defense witnesses was ignored during the session. The prosecution witnesses were interested parties (friends, acquaintances, relatives of police officers), and many testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were fabricated "retroactively". On 18 June 2008, she was sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment.
A case of extortion and insult was also initiated against Makhmutova. The trial was held with numerous procedural violations. The Moscow City Court upheld the verdict, and Makhmutova repeatedly lost consciousness during her transfer. In September 2008, she was sentenced (with the previous sentence being absorbed) to 5.5 years in prison. In 2010, the sentence was overturned, and the case was dismissed due to the absence of both the event and the corpus delicti of the offense, which allowed Makhmutova to be released on parole in 2011 after three and a half years of imprisonment. In 2012, the Investigative Committee reopened the investigation.
On 17 November 2017, the court returned the extortion case (the insult charge had been dropped by this point) back to the prosecutor's office. On 13 November 2020, Makhmutova was sentenced to five years in a general regime penal colony but was released from punishment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. On 26 October 2021, the cassation court reduced the sentence to four years and ten months.
All fields of the record
- Citizenship
- Russia
- Persecution episodes
- 2
Other people prosecuted under Article 159 (part unknown), Russian Criminal Code
Under the same article, not necessarily in the same case.