The Moscow District Military Court on Thursday sentenced former Moscow State University student Alexandra Ivanova (Varvara Karaulova), who tried to join Daesh terrorist group, to 4.5 years in a general regime penal colony, according to Sputnik News Agency.

Earlier, the prosecutor asked to sentence Karaulova to five years of imprisonment and to fine her 150,000 rubles ($2,450) rubles. Lawyers insisted that she be acquitted.

Karaulova was first detained on the Turkish-Syrian border together with a dozen of other would-be jihadists and deported to Moscow in June 2015. Her father said she had fallen in love with a Daesh recruiter. She changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova months after returning home but was accused of preparing another trip to Syria. 

Karaulova's defense said it would appeal the sentence by the end of the year.

Source: MENA