Man detained over church arsons in Tatarstan charged in over five incidents - lawyer
KAZAN. Jan 9 (Interfax) - The investigative authorities are charging the individuals detained in a case of arson and preparing a terrorist attack in Tatarstan.
In particular, one man was charged on December 23 and has been put under arrest as a pre-trial restriction, Radik Galimov, a lawyer representing one of the defendants, told Interfax on Thursday.
"The charges were brought over five incidents," the attorney said.
According to Galimov, his client is charged under the Russian Criminal Code Article 205 (terrorist attack), Article 22 (illegal purchase, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying weapons, parts, ammunition, explosive substances and explosive devices) and Article 223 (illegal weapons manufacture).
The lawyer failed to say what charges had been brought regarding other detainees. Galimov said he could speak for his client alone.
The Russian Investigative Committee's investigative department for Tatarstan refused to comment on this information.
As of late 2013 seven to eight people were detained in the case, head of the Kazan human rights center Bulat Mukhamedzhanov told Interfax.
"When human rights activists visited the detainees in December, there were seven to eight people. Everything could have changed now," he said.
Seven arsons of Orthodox churches occurred in Tatarstan in 2013. The criminal case has been opened under the Russian Criminal Code Article 205, terrorist attack. The criminal case over explosive devices (home-made rockets) found on November 17 in the Alexeyevsky district and Nizhnekamsk is being probed as well and the criminal case under the Russian Criminal Code Article 205 Part 30 (preparing a terrorist attack) has been opened. Several people, including Chistopol residents, have been detained.
The investigation is under the control of Tatarstan's President Rustam Minnikhanov.