| Connecticut
Uzbek Rakhmatov Gets 150 Months For
Supporting ISIS Fighting In Syria in EDNY
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
EDNY COURTHOUSE,
Jan 14 – Azizjon Rakhmatov,
who pleaded guilty to
conspiring to provide material
support to ISIS by funding a
fighter to and in Syria, was
up for sentencing on January
14 before United States
District Court for the Eastern
District of New York Judge
William F. Kuntz.
He faced 160
months; he got 150 months.
Inner City Press live tweeted
it, here:
Judge Kuntz: Mr.
Rakhmatov, are you ready to go
forward today? Rakhmatov: Yes.
Judge Kuntz: There is a
statutory maximum of 15 years,
no minimum, do you understand?
Rakhmatov: Yes.
Judge
Kuntz: There is offense level
of 37. The defendant does not
agree - says disregard
Guideline sections, argues
they are unconstitutional.
Wants offense level of
26. [Inner City Press:
expect an appeal on this,
depending on what sentence is
imposed.]
Defense: The
government has no evidence
that my client wants to kill
non-Muslims. This is language
that enflames the passions by
fails in law (quoting another
terrorism case]. Mr
Rakhmatov's family in
Uzbekistan is proud of him.
Defense: He
thought his contributions were
saving lives in Syria, not
going to ISIS. But now the
government wants to increase
his sentencing from six years
to 15 years. This terrorist
enhancement, it is the offense
of conviction. [That'd be the
grounds of appeal]
Defense: Mr.
Rakhmatov does not dress like
a jihadi... According to
Doctor Sageman, Mr. Rakhmatov
condemns terrorism. But now he
faces this enhancement.
Now defense
lawyer says, Syria's is not a
government, it is a state
sponsor of terrorism. He asks,
Did Congress intend the
terrorism enhancement to be
used in this case? My client
only had a vague sense that
Assad's regime should be
resisted.
Defense: Mr
Rakhmatov is a brilliant
artist. Look at his jail house
work, I don't know if you can
see it. [Can't]. Look at the
workmanship, it pops up. He
only wants to do his art, to
be with his family. See how it
pops up.
Judge Kuntz: Yes,
the court can see it.
Judge Kuntz has
taken a five minute break.
Rakhmatov asks his lawyer
Lawrence Stern to show another
pop-up card to Judge Kuntz
when he returns. Rakhmatov
says, Look at this one, Larry.
Stern: I don't think we can
spend the whole day on an art
show.
AUSA: This is
about a defendant who provided
an armed fighter to fight on
behalf of ISIS. [Judge
reads the underlying
paragraph: the $400 was
to fund travel to and expenses
in Syria of a fighter.]
Judge Kuntz tells
Stern: I remember the plea
allocution. Not to criticize
my colleagues, but I always
take my own pleas, so I can
hear them.
Now Rakhmatov
himself: "I cannot bring the
time back. I am really sorry."
That's all he says. Judge
Kuntz: Perfect justice is not
possible.
Judge Kuntz
sentenced Rakhmatov to: 150
months in prison Lifetime
supervised release.
***
Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA
Mail: Box 20047, Dag
Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017
Reporter's mobile (and weekends):
718-716-3540
Other, earlier Inner City Press are
listed here,
and some are available in the ProQuest
service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.
Copyright 2006-2021 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com
|
,
