The leaders of a Kalmyk prison colony received lengthy sentences in the case of a terrorist cell

Pavel Bataev and his deputy Artur Tsamaev, accused of organizing a terrorist group on the territory of a correctional facility, received 22 and 24 years in prison.

As the " Caucasian Knot " reported , Bataev, the head of Correctional Colony No. 2, was previously suspected of aiding a terrorist organization operating on the facility's premises.

The Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don sentenced Pavel Batayev, the former head of a penal colony in Kalmykia, and his former deputy, Artur Tsamayev, on charges of aiding a terrorist organization, bribery, and abuse of office. Batayev was sentenced to 22 years in prison, with the first seven years to be served in a maximum security prison, and the remainder to be served in a maximum security prison. He was also stripped of his special rank of "lieutenant colonel of the internal service." Tsamayev received a 24-year sentence, with the first seven years to be served in prison, and the remainder to be served in a maximum security prison, and was stripped of his special rank of "captain of the internal service," Interfax reports, citing the court's press service. Batayev and Tsomayev pleaded not guilty in court.

"Batayev and Tsamayev collaborated with the leader of a terrorist organization: from November 2016 to August 2017, they provided him with mobile phones, chargers, at least 60 SIM cards from various telecom operators, at least 10 flash drives, and at least three Wi-Fi routers. The organizer and members of the organization used these devices to open electronic accounts, store funds, conduct financial transactions, and download audio and video materials and e-books of an extremist and terrorist nature," the court statement quoted. Tsamayev also received a bribe of 198,000 rubles. 

Islamic jamaats are forming in Russian prison colonies, whose members ostentatiously promote the ideas of terrorist groups without actually being members, according to analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot." They believe that information about a terrorist network in a Kalmyk prison colony  resembles a PR stunt by security forces . The creation of any groups in Russian prison colonies is only possible with the organization and patronage of the Federal Penitentiary Service, noted Magomed Mutsolgov, head of the Ingush human rights organization "Mashr" and a member of the Ingush Public Monitoring Commission.

According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, Gasanov was the leader of the Kizlyar militant group. One media outlet supporting Dagestani militants from the Caucasus Emirate, a terrorist organization banned in Russia, claimed that Gasanov  was indeed a member of the armed underground.