Russia Jails Member Of Banned Islamic Group

One of alleged members of the banned Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir is escorted to a court in St. Ptersburg on November 9.

A Russian court has sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for being a member of the banned Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The court in the city of St. Petersburg found Isa Ragimov, 46, guilty on November 21 of organizing activities of a terrorist group, and sentenced him the same day.

Ragimov, who was arrested in April 2015, pleaded guilty. He became the eighth man sentenced in St. Petersburg for being a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir since 2014.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global organization based in London that seeks to unite all Muslim countries into an Islamic caliphate.

Russia's Supreme Court banned Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2003, branding its supporters as "extremists."

Members of the group insist the group is peaceful.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax