A man in Russia sentenced to eight years in prison for sending Uzbek citizens to Syria

The Far Eastern District Military Court sentenced a 56-year-old native of Kyrgyzstan, who is settled in Sakhalin, to eight years in a penal colony for financing terrorism, the website of the RF Investigative Department in the Sakhalin Oblast reported.

He was found guilty of committing crimes under Part 1 of Article 205.1 of the RF Criminal Code - financing of terrorism, Part 2 of Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code - participation in the activities of an organization that, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, is recognized as a terrorist.

A criminal case was instituted on the basis of operational materials from the Border Directorate of the FSB of Russia in the Sakhalin Oblast.

Reportedly, in December 2015, the defendant, residing in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, knew that 21-year-old and 27-year-old citizens of Uzbekistan wish to join one of the combat groups of the Islamic State international terrorist organization, and provided them with funds in the amount of 100 thousand rubles to ensure their movement to the Syrian Arab Republic.

In addition, the defendant ensured the unhindered departure of these Uzbek citizens on December 17, 2015 by plane from the Sakhalin Oblast on the route Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk - Moscow and then through transit countries to the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic for further participation in the activities of the international terrorist organization.

Thus, the defendant financed terrorism, and also ensured the participation of two persons in hostilities on the side of a terrorist organization.