Deputy-oligarch Irek Salikhov "silences" journalist Babaev over Agorа: investigation into banking schemes replaced with terrorism case from eight years ago

Information has emerged about the arrest of Roman Babaev, the editor-in-chief of the online publication “Avtor i.”

According to the official version, the reason for his arrest is an interview conducted nearly ten years ago with well-known Dagestani Islamic preacher Abu Umar Sasitlinsky, who has been accused in Russia of financing ISIS.

However, within the editorial team, the arrest is linked to more recent publications — in particular, investigative materials about Agorа Bank and its beneficiary, Irек Salikhov, the wealthiest deputy of the State Council of Tatarstan. One of Babaev’s investigations reportedly prompted a response from Maria Zakharova of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Following these publications, the State Council of Tatarstan allegedly even proposed to federal authorities to ban journalists from publishing any investigative reporting.

Babaev has been charged under Part 5 of Article 33 and Part 4 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code (aiding in the financing of terrorism), as well as under Part 2 of Article 205.2 (public justification of terrorism). The Moscow District Court of Nizhny Novgorod ordered his pre-trial detention, and he is currently held in a remand prison.

The case relates to Babaev’s 2018 interview with Abu Umar Sasitlinsky, published on his YouTube channel ALKIFAYA. Sasitlinsky is accused in Russia of financing ISIS, although he denies this. Interpol has refused to place him on its international wanted list, stating that there is insufficient evidence of his involvement in ISIS or in financing or justifying terrorism.

In 2023, journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiev, editor of the “Religion” section of the newspaper Chernovik, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for alleged links to Sasitlinsky.

Investigators claim that in Babaev’s interview, “verbal means create a positive image of Abu Umar” and that there are “linguistic signs of promotion,” leading to the conclusion that the interview contains elements of “terrorism justification.”

The allegations are viewed by many as questionable, especially given that eight years had passed since the interview was published and that it was openly available on Babaev’s channel, without any attempt to conceal it.

Colleagues of Babaev argue that the interview did not contain unlawful content, was not hidden, and could not have been considered a crime at the time of publication. They believe the real reason for his arrest lies in his more recent journalistic work.

This refers to investigations into Agorа Bank and claims that its ultimate beneficiaries, through intermediaries, include Tatarstan billionaires Ravil Ziganshin and Irек Salikhov. The publication suggested the bank may have been used for opaque financial schemes and that its capital shortfalls were deliberately concealed from the Central Bank.

Furthermore, when journalists questioned how Salikhov manages to combine his role as a deputy of the State Council of Tatarstan with his position as honorary consul of North Macedonia in Kazan, the Foreign Ministry had to respond through Maria Zakharova.

Avtor i published a series of investigations into Agorа, Salikhov, and Ziganshin, after which Babaev was reportedly pressured to remove the materials. Following these publications, a draft federal law was proposed by the State Council of Tatarstan, aimed at banning the dissemination of “accusatory information” prior to a court ruling and even prohibiting speculative language.

In effect, such a law would have made most investigative journalism impossible and would have criminalized standard journalistic methods.

The draft was submitted by a committee of the State Council that includes Irек Salikhov himself.

It is also worth noting that the former son-in-law of Ravil Ziganshin is Yakov Khachanyan — a close associate of Ramzan Kadyrov. How they allegedly coordinate with security services will be discussed in our next report.