ROSTOV-ON-DON. Dec 13 (Interfax) - The Northern Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don convicted Ramzan Belyalov and Magomed Mazdayev for taking hostages and organizing a terrorist attack in Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Territory, 22 years ago, an Interfax correspondent has reported from the courtroom.
"The defendants are found guilty. Ramzan Belyalov is sentenced to 15 years in a general-security penal colony and Magomed Mazdayev is sentenced to 13 years in a general-security penal colony based on the degree of their guilt," the judge said, reading the sentence.
The court press service told Interfax that the convicts were exempted from punishment for abduction, illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, and processing of narcotics, psychotropic substances or their analogues due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
The defense lawyers for the men said they intend to appeal.
"We will seek our clients' acquittal," one of the appointed lawyers said.
According to earlier reports, the state prosecutor had sought 15 years in a general-security penal colony for Belyalov and 14.5 years in a general-security penal colony for Mazdayev.
The defense lawyers had asked for their clients to be acquitted.
Belyalov and Mazdayev deny their guilt. Specifically, Belyalov said in court in September 2017 that he was working in construction in a different republic at the time the Budyonnovsk attack occurred.
According to investigators, Belyalov and Mazdayev were members of a militant group led by Shamil Basayev and participated in organizing the terrorist attack and hostage-taking in Budyonnovsk in June 1995.
They are charged with banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, and processing of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances or their analogues.
On June 14, 1995, a group of some 160 terrorists led by Shamil Basayev carried out an armed attack on Budyonnovsk, attacking a district police station, as well as administrative and residential buildings. The militants gathered hostages in the city's central square and later led them to the Budyonnovsk Central District Hospital.
The militants held 1,586 hostages for six days. One hundred and twenty-six people were killed and hundreds were injured in the terrorist attack. Overall damage is estimated at more than 95.6 billion non-denominated rubles.