Chechen jailed in Austria for fighting with IS militants
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 November 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Chechen jailed in Austria for fighting with IS militants, 20 November 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56813d3c2b.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 20, 2015
An Austrian court has sentenced a man from Russia's Chechnya region for fighting alongside Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria.
A district court in the northeastern city of St. Poelten sentenced the 24-year-old Chechen man, whose name was not disclosed, to five years in jail on November 20.
The convicted man arrived in Austria and applied for asylum in 2010.
Investigators say he spent several months in 2013 in Syria, where he fought with IS militants.
An estimated 2,700 Russian citizens are believed to have traveled to Syria to join IS, Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups, or other militant Islamist factions.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said on November 19 that 73 of those fighters have returned to the North Caucasus and been convicted of crimes.
He said 36 others had been arrested in Russia and that approximately 160 of the fighters had been killed.
Based on reporting by dpa and Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
