29 April 2019, 19:01
Court fails to find Akhmed Barakhoev in Nalchik SIZO
After finding out that Ingush activist Akhmed Barakhoev was not kept at the Nalchik SIZO (pre-trial prison), the Supreme Court (SC) of Kabardino-Balkaria postponed the consideration of a complaint about the Ingush activist's arrest.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 26, Fatima Urusova, an advocate of Akhmed Barakhoev, came to visit her client at the Nalchik SIZO and found out that he had been transferred to Vladikavkaz.
On April 13, the administrative arrests in Nalchik of three leaders of Ingush protests – Akhmed Barakhoev, Musa Malsagov and Barakh Chemurziev – were over. However, they were immediately arrested again, this time under the criminal case about incitement to mass riots and using violence against law enforcers. All the three were imprisoned for two months.
During his first arrest, on April 4-13, Akhmed Barakhoev held a hunger strike with a demand to respect other people's rights.
A hearing of the Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria was scheduled for today. The SC planned to consider the appeal filed by the defence about the Akhmed Barakhoev's arrest. However, after the SC stated that "Akhmed Barakhoev was not found today, he was not in Nalchik," the court hearing was postponed for April 30, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by advocate Fatima Urusova.
According to her, when officers were busy with installing the equipment for video conference communication with the defendant, the SC found out that the whereabouts of Akhmed Barakhoev was unknown. "It turns out that investigators did not inform the advocates and relatives of Akhmed Barakhoev, and they also did not notify the court. This is ... the first time in my practice," said Fatima Urusova.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 29, 2019 at 02:47 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Amina Zakaeva Source: CK correspondent