Mikhail Benyash arrested for two months

The court has upheld the investigator's request and placed the Krasnodar lawyer Mikhail Benyash in custody for two months – until November 23.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 23, Mikhail Benyash was detained for 48 hours and was convoyed from the special detention centre in Ust-Labinsk, where he was serving his administrative arrest, to Krasnodar. The Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) has explained the lawyer's detention by two criminal cases: he is charged with attacking policemen and obstructing the administration of justice (Articles 318 and 294 of the Russian Criminal Code). Late in the evening on September 25, the Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar extended Benyash's detention in custody by 72 hours. After the court session, the lawyer was hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of "bilateral pneumonia".

The court session on the selection of a freedom restrain measure for Mikhail Benyash was held today at the Leninsky District Court of Krasnodar. The defence asked the court to appoint house arrest to Benyash, or to release him under recognizance not to leave the place.

"The judge showed her bias at the last session, when she ignored the fact that Benyash was kept in a cage after his detention term had already expired," Alexei Avanesyan, an advocate, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Benyash's defenders believe that investigators failed to presents confirmations of the fact that he could hide and threaten the witnesses.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 28, 2018 at 07:43 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.