An Indonesian court sentenced 29-year-old Russian citizen Roman Kalashnikov. He was found guilty of possession and transportation of drugs. Initially, the court wanted to sentence him to death, but in the end the man was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Roman himself announced the verdict on his page on the social network.

Under Indonesian law, the case could have ended with the death penalty. But the judges, taking into account some facts, decided to lower the preventive measure. The appeal can be filed within 7 days. But we will not do this. There are several reasons for this, the main one of which is the low likelihood of improving the situation, while this will cost at least twice as much as it has already been spent. And more than $ 20,000 was spent on a lawyer and organization of defense.

Recall that this story began back in December 2016, when Roman flew to Bali. Then, during the examination of his luggage, tubes from under toothpaste were found in which hashish was hidden. In total, there were 3 kilograms of drugs in the bag of the cook from Surgut. The young man was immediately arrested.

Roman also shared the fact that he did not receive money for the services of the best lawyers, for which the collection was announced on the Internet. Roman's friend, who started organizing the collection, disappeared and no longer gets in touch.

“Since this money was collected for me, I apologize to those who sent it to this wallet in the hope of saving me from execution. I'm sorry they never reached their destination. But in any case, the execution was avoided, and this, as I understood, was the main goal for those who helped. "

After the trial, the man recorded a video message in which he said that he was very lucky. In the video, he apologized to his parents and gave all tourists advice: check the parcels that are asked to be transported across the border. Kalashnikov himself allegedly did not know that drugs were stored in his luggage.

Back in December 2016, when Roman flew to Bali. During a search of his luggage, law enforcement officers found tubes of toothpaste in the Russian citizen, in which several kilograms of hashish were stored. The young chef was immediately arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the country.

In total, Roman Kalashnikov's luggage contained 27 packs of toothpaste filled with hashish. The total weight of the drug was three kilos, which, according to the head of the customs department of the airport Nura Rai Budi Harjanto, became a kind of record for 2016. Customs officials speculate that Roman Kalashnikov acquired hashish in Nepal and brought it to Bali to be sold during the New Year's tourist peak. This was the second visit of a Russian to Bali, before that he flew to the island in October, probably to scout the situation. Kalashnikov flew to Bali on a flight of the Indonesian airline Malindo Air from Nepal via Malaysia.

According to Roman's sister Valery Nasyrov, her brother did not know what he was carrying in the bag. “What was found at the airport during the examination of my brother's luggage belonged to his friend, who asked to hand over a seemingly harmless parcel (which is a common practice), and when it smelled of fried, it disappeared. My brother had no idea what was disguised under such a seemingly harmless transmission, ”says Valeria.

However, the Indonesian police assure: Roman admitted that he himself decided to carry prohibited luggage, and said that the entire lot was intended for personal use on New Year's holidays. Interestingly, a month before the unfortunate events, Roman told on his page on the social network that the death penalty is provided for drug trafficking in Bali.

Roman was born and raised in Surgut, learned to be a cook. For more than 6 years he has been traveling to different countries, where he tries local cuisine and learns new recipes. He lived in India for 4 years, but dreamed of moving to the United States to open his own restaurant. I even collected documents for obtaining an American visa.

Now Roman Kalashnikov is in Karbagan prison, where he is awaiting a court decision. The maximum punishment that he can face is the death penalty. However, Indonesian human rights activists believe that a Russian can count on a more humane punishment - life imprisonment. On April 12, a trial was supposed to take place over him, but the meeting was postponed.

They treat him normally. Conditions of detention are acceptable, especially in comparison with the detention center for terrorists, where he was kept before being transferred to prison. Objectively, the conditions of detention of prisoners in Indonesia are better than in Russian colonies. Why did he commit this crime at all? Only he himself knows about it. Pardon is very much disliked in Indonesia. In practice, such cases can be seen that for all appeals there, on the contrary, they impose a time limit and tighten the punishment. Let's say other Europeans who are in jail for drugs are given 20 years. Then they appeal - they are given life, if they appeal again, then maybe the death penalty.

Relatives and friends, who do not believe in Kalashnikov's guilt, organized a fundraiser for a lawyer for Roman. To pay for the services of a lawyer, $ 50,000 is required. We managed to collect about $ 2,900. According to lawyers, Roman Kalashnikov could be extradited to Russia, and his case was considered under Russian law. The Russian Foreign Ministry has the opportunity to contribute to this, and Kalashnikov's lawyer should turn to the ministry for help.

While fundraising is underway, Roman recorded a video message that many called a farewell. In it, the Russian talks about the rules of the death penalty in Bali and names the reasons for his detention. The novel promises that if the collected money does not help him avoid the death penalty, it will be directed to charity.

• This is not the first time Russians have been arrested in Bali with large quantities of hashish. In the spring of 2012, customs officers at an Indonesian airport saw on x-rays that 30-year-old yoga teacher Alexander Simonov from Moscow and 43-year-old designer from St. Petersburg Sergei Chernykh had hundreds of hashish capsules in their stomachs.
• Simonov was sentenced to eight years in prison and a fine of 1 billion Indonesian rupees (at that time 104 thousand dollars) or an additional three months in prison in case of non-payment of the fine, Chernykh - to 11 years in prison and a large fine.

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Roman Kalashnikov received the final verdict

08:02 | 02.08.2017

Roman Kalashnikov, accused of possession and import of marijuana, received the final sentence - the Surgut resident will spend 17 years in prison in Bali.

The business deal, which was announced to me by the Prosecutor on July 10, was 20 years. The judges, taking into account some facts, decided to lower the preventive measure and sentence me to 17 years in prison, Roman writes on his VK page

He also notes that he was additionally fined $ 200,000. If the payment is refused, the prisoner will spend an additional four months in prison.

The appeal can be filed within 7 days, but Roman decided not to.

There are several reasons for this, the main one of which is the low likelihood of improving the situation, while this will cost at least twice as much as it has already been spent. And spent on a lawyer and organization of defense - more than $ 20,000. No deals or bribes were made to the authorities. They asked for too much. I never received the money collected by my friend Viktor Tsyganov ($ 3000). The first time I received news from him that he was trying to take them out, but for more than 2 months he has been ignoring my messages. Now he is in the USA, in California. What and how really happened, I still could not find out. And since this money was collected for me, I apologize to those who sent it to this wallet in the hope of saving me from execution.

Roman Kalashnikov says that the collection organization and the electronic wallet were created without his participation and approval. In any case, he is glad that this whole story is over and now he has the opportunity to collect his thoughts.

Surgutyan Roman Kalashnikov faces execution in Indonesia for trying to smuggle drugs into the country. But the guy is not discouraged, at first his friends organized a fundraiser for a lawyer ($ 50,000), now he publishes photo reports on his life in a prison in Bali on social networks and talks about the course of the court hearings in his case.

Roman Kalashnikov writes that a regular hearing took place, at which the director of his prison acted as a witness for the defense. “He performed brilliantly, well prepared a medical report on my addiction. And instead of the $ 500 that the lawyer asked for for his services, he cost me $ 90, "Kalashnikov rejoices, not hiding that he has to give bribes to save his life.

A Yugor citizen was detained at the Bali airport for trying to smuggle about three kilograms of drugs hidden in 27 toothpaste packages. In Indonesia, the death penalty is imposed for such crimes. After his arrest, Kalashnikov announced that he needed $ 50,000 for the services of a lawyer in order to avoid being shot.

On the social network, Kalashnikov writes that he faces at least 10 years in prison, even if he can prove that he is a drug addict, and smuggled illegal substances only for his own use. “I returned to prison after the trial with a feeling of satisfaction and high spirits. The hope for a good outcome of the lawsuits burned in my heart again. I feel good, on my return I was waiting for a plate of excellent pasta from the Italian pasta master, ”says Kalashnikov on the social network.

One of the chefs in the Bali prison

On July 31, an Indonesian court sentenced Roman Kalashnikov, a 30-year-old Russian citizen, who was arrested in Bali and found guilty of drug trafficking. The Russian was facing the death penalty, but he did not lose heart and even opened his own business behind bars, becoming a restaurateur.

The prosecutor asked Roman to be sentenced to 20 years in prison. But the court reduced this period to 17 years, writes Balipost.

Also, a cook from Surgut, Roman Kalashnikov, will have to pay a fine of two billion rupees ($ 150,000) or spend an additional four months in prison.

The convicted person can file an appeal within seven days, but Roman will not do this. According to him, there is a serious risk that the new sentence will be harsher. In addition, further fighting in court will require twice as much money as has been spent so far on lawyers. Kalashnikov wrote about this on his page on the VKontakte social network.

We add that Roman spent over 20 thousand dollars to pay for the services of the defenders.

According to the young man, he did not conclude any deals and did not give bribes to representatives of the authorities, the Surgutinternovosti television and radio company reports. “I am very glad that this story with the trial is over, now you can breathe out and collect your thoughts,” the Russian added.

Roman Kalashnikov was detained by police on December 14, 2016. He was charged with transporting 2.9 kilograms of hashish hidden in 25 tubes of Danti toothpaste. The suspect claimed that he needed the drugs to organize New Year's parties at the resort.

In anticipation of the verdict, an enterprising Surgut resident opened a small restaurant on the territory of the prison together with a companion - a chef from Germany Patrick. Customers were offered dishes from Russian cuisine, such as pancakes. According to Roman, the business went briskly. He cooked up to 20 dishes a day, earning up to $ 18. The Daily Mirror wrote about the prisoner's commercial success.

In Surgut, Kalashnikov worked as a cook. Roman's friends organized a fundraiser to pay for the services of lawyers. It was supposed to collect about 50 thousand dollars.

While in prison, Kalashnikov published a cheerful selfie photo. In the picture distributed by the Muksun news agency, the arrested man is embracing his cellmate. According to Roman, a prisoner named Anthony from New Zealand helped him a lot. “He works in our clinic as a psychologist and helps other prisoners cope with depression,” Roman said. In addition, Anthony found a psychiatrist who agreed to appear in court with a medical report on drug addiction.

Earlier, Roman Kalashnikov expressed regret that he spent 20 thousand dollars on his lawyers. According to him, they turned out to be only "the illusion of good protection" and extorted money from him.

According to Roman, the defense attorney argued that it would cost $ 500 for a doctor to testify in favor of the Russian. However, Roman managed to pay the doctor only $ 90. For this amount, a medical report was presented in court, according to which Kalashnikov was a drug addict. This could be the basis for the commutation of the sentence.

"I still smile, full of strength and determination. I love life and live it with dignity. I am healthy, fresh and bright. Palm trees still grow in front of our block (this is very important for a palm-dependent person, believe me). There are many wonderful and amazing people. In my heart there is a whole world of people close to me. I am doing what I love. I am happy, "wrote Kalashnikov from an Indonesian prison (spelling preserved).