Memorial recognized the imam of the Moscow Yardyam mosque Makhmud Velitov as a political prisoner

Society Memorial recognized the imam of the Yardyam Mosque in Moscow, Makhmud Velitov, as a political prisoner.

September 15, 2017 The Memorial Society announced that the Imam of the Yardyam Mosque in Moscow was recognized as a political prisoner Mahmud Velitov .

At the end of April 2017, the Moscow Military Court found the imam guilty under Part 1 of Art. 205.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public justification terrorism) and sentenced to 3 years in a penal colony for preaching, which mentioned Abdulla Gappaev, who was shot in Kizlyar in 2013 and, probably involved in the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

« Communication Velitov's sermons with a "terrorist organization" are far-fetched and artificial, and besides, the very recognition of Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organization is unreasonable. Data that this is a community operating in the form political party in the Middle East, involved in at least one terrorist attack in the world, no. Western European countries (with the exception of Germany) and North America the party is not banned. We believe, that there is no reason to persecute Hizb ut-Tahrir members as terrorists, and regularly recognize people convicted of participating in this organizations, political prisoners ,” the statement said. "Memorial".

"Memorial" calls " immediately release Velitov and stop the imitation of the fight against terror .
Sources

• Memorial Considers Moscow Imam Makhmud Velitov Political Prisoner // Memorial. 2017. September 15.
• Velitov Mahmud Abdulkhakovich // Memorial. 2017. September 10.